Mumbai: Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Wednesday made a controversial statement saying, earlier lawmakers used to defect for Rs 50 lakh, but now even a corporator will not switch sides with that amount.
Pawar made the commenst whole speaking at a party meet in Karmala in Solapur district.
While recalling the incident when former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had to ferry the lawmakers to Bangalore to avoid any horse-trading before the majority vote.
"Due to the fear of horse-trading and defection of MLAs, Vilasrao Deshmukh got frustrated and in that period MLAs were ferried to Bangalore as that time MLAs used to defect for Rs 50 lakh, but nowadays even a corporator cannot be made to cross over with that amount," Pawar said.
The NCP leader appealed to political parties not to give tickets to candidates who defect and join another party.
