Shiv Sena claims PM Narendra Modi offered NCP's Supriya Sule Cabinet berth

Mumbai: BJP ally Shiv Sena has now claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule a berth in his cabinet.

According to PTI, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had made this claim in a signed article in the party7 mouthpiece `Saamana'.

In the Sena article, which was published on September 10, Raut claimed that during a meeting with the NCP chief he had asked about media reports that Pawar would be joining the Modi cabinet.

"Pawar told me there is no truth in the media reports. He described such reports as height of stupidity," Raut wrote in article.

"Rumours are being spread about my party. Modi had once told me he wanted Supriya in his cabinet. Supriya, who was present at that meeting, told Modi that she would be the last person to join the BJP," Raut, who is also the editor of the newspaper, cited Pawar as saying.

The Sena MP also said that Pawar told him that NCP's stand is very clear, yet rumours are spread to create confusion.

"Sharad Pawar says this. But there are senior NCP leaders who are in touch with (Maharashtra) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Shiv Sena has no reason to be worried even if the NCP seeks to be part of the Fadnavis cabinet and the chief minister is holding secret meetings with NCP leaders," Raut said.

When Pawar was contacted for clarity, one of his close aides said that he was in Baramati, his hometown, and would respond to the Saamana article at an "appropriate" time. 

With PTI inputs