Six key MLAs from NCP (SP) may join Cong, claims Sunil Tatkare

Mumbai: Maharashtra NCP (Ajit Pawar) president Sunil Tatkare claimed on Friday that five to six MLAs from rival Sharad Pawar faction are looking to join the Congress party. In an informal chat with journalists in Mumbai, Tatkare said he has reliable information that these MLAs have started contacting Congress leadership in Delhi as they are uncertain about the party’s future.

“According to my information, a group of MLAs from NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is constantly trying to get in touch with the Congress leadership as they want to jump ship,” said Tatkare, refusing to divulge any names.

He insisted that the ruling alliance ‘Mahayuti’ has received excellent response from the public in the Lok Sabha elections. “It means, the Mahayuti is expected to win the most of the 48 seats in the state. This has caused unease among the NCP (SP) MLAs as the state assembly elections are scheduled in the next few months,” he asserted.

Tatkare’s aides claimed the NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar was talking about the possible merger between them and Congress only to prevent MLAs from leaving his party.

In an interview with a newspaper, Pawar said that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress or even merge with it. This sparked rumours of a Congress-NCP (SP) merger.

However, Pawar denied speaking about his party’s merger with the Congress. “I never made any such remark. I was talking about how the two parties have worked together and closely for so long,” he clarified.

NCP (SP) responded to Tatkare by terming it as a desperate attempt. “Those who were going to leave our party have already left. Therefore, no one else will leave. It is evident that Tatkare has made a desperate attempt to save his party,” said Mehboob Shaikh, Maharashtra president, the youth wing of NCP (SP).

He also added that Ajit Pawar’s boat will sink after June 4, when the results for Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra are going to be out. “No one will board that sinking boat now. Sunil Tatkare himself is preparing to board the BJP’s boat. He knows that he has no other option but to join the BJP,” Shaikh claimed.