SOME PEOPLE WANT AJIT PAWAR TO QUIT MAHAYUTI: NCP MLC
MUMBAI: Some people want deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar to quit the ruling coalition, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLC Amol Mitkari alleged on Saturday even as he advocated for an alliance between the NCP and Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).
The remark comes amid growing calls within the BJPled Mahayuti about the alliance with Ajit Pawar, who is also being blamed for the ruling alliance’s poor show in the Lok Sabha polls. A recent article in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) mouthpiece Organiser that ascribed the BJP’s alliance with Ajit’s NCP as a prime reason for the former’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls in state added fuel to the speculations.
Mitkari, a close aide of Ajit Pawar, hit out at those singling out the deputy chief minister for the LS outcome. “Some people want Ajit Pawar to quit the Mahayuti (ruling alliance). Attempts are being made to single him out for the performance of the alliance in LS polls,” he told reporters on Saturday.
He added: “I think Ajitdada should consider an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar. This will lead to major changes in Maharashtra politicsI have made this suggestion. The decision is up to Ajitdada and Prakash Ambedkar.”
The NCP, which contested four seats and won only one (Raigad), registered the poorest strike rate among the state’s ruling alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena and the NCP. The biggest blow to the faction was not being able to win the Baramati constituency, where Ajit’s wife Sunetra lost in a prestige battle to Supriya Sule, who is Sharad Pawar’s daughter, representing NCP-SP.