Ramdas Athawale asks NCP's Sharad Pawar to join NDA, says 'may get big post'

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said Pawar should join the NDA for the betterment of Maharashtra.

MUMBAI: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday (September 29) said that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar may get a big post in the future if he joins the NDA. He stated that there is no advantage in staying with Shiv Sena as coalition partner in Maharashtra.

"Shiv Sena should again join hands with BJP. If Shiv Sena doesn't come with us, I appeal to NCP chief Sharad Pawar to join NDA for development for the state. He may get a big post in the future. There is no advantage in staying with Shiv Sena," Athawale said at a press conference here.

In 2019 Assembly polls, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 105 seats in the last Maharashtra Assembly polls while the Shiv Sena got 56 seats in the 288-member state Assembly. BJP had a pre-poll alliance with Shiv Sena and the two partners had a clear majority in the 288-member assembly.

However, reluctant to let go the Chief Minister's post, Shiv Sena severed its 3-decade old ties with NDA and walked out of the Modi government at the Centre to join hands with Congress and NCP; and formed the Maha Vikas Akhadi government in Maharashtra.