Ajit Pawar Denies Moving To BJP, Says He Will 'Always' Be With NCP

Amid speculation that he and a group of MLAs loyal to him might align with the BJP, the former Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar said that there is 'no truth' in the rumours about him.

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday dismissed speculation about him joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that he will remain in the NCP. Speaking to reporters amid speculation that he and a group of MLAs loyal to him might align with the BJP, the former Maharashtra deputy chief minister said that there is 'no truth' in the rumours about him. 

"No truth in the rumours spread about me. I am with the NCP and will remain with the party," Ajit Pawar, who is the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, said.

Speculation about Ajit Pawar's next political move started swirling last week when he suddenly cancelled his scheduled meetings and also made some comments which were seen as being soft on the BJP and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's camp.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday added grist to the rumour mill claiming NCP chief Sharad Pawar recently told Uddhav Thackeray that his party will never join hands with the BJP even if anyone takes an individual decision to do so.

Earlier in the day, Sharad Pawar also dismissed speculation about his nephew Ajit's next political move and said that no meeting of NCP MLAs has been called by anyone. On Monday, Ajit Pawar dismissed as false the reports that he has called a meeting of MLAs on Tuesday, amid intense speculation in Maharashtra's political circles about his growing proximity with the ruling BJP.

Speaking to the reporters in the Purandar area of Maharashtra's Pune district, Sharad Pawar said whatever discussions are going on in the minds of the media are not there in 'our minds'.

"...There is no importance of all these discussions. The reports have no meaning. I can say about NCP that all our colleagues are of one thinking of how to make the party stronger, and there is no other thought in anybody's mind," he said.

Sharad Pawar, whose party is a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which also comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, said that the party's state president, Jayant Patil, is busy with a local election in his region, and Ajit Pawar is also busy with the work of the party.

The NCP president said after his programmes in Pune, he will head to Mumbai.