Congress, NCP have no face to show apart from Uddhav Thackeray: Fadnavis

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in an interview said the arithmetic in Maharashtra is that the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party have no face to show in Maharashtra and they think Uddhav Thackeray is the only face for them. This is their problem today, Fadnavis said amid upheavals in Maha Vikas Aghadi over NCP leader Ajit Pawar's recent movements. Fadnavis commented on many other issues at Lokshahi Sanvad 2023. Read | Sharad Pawar dismisses speculation over Ajit Pawar’s political move

Last week, there were speculations that Ajit Pawar was planning to throw support to the BJP-Shinde and was mobilising some MLAs. The reported rebellion was put to rest by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar too said he will be in the NCP as long as he is alive.

On Friday too, Ajit Pawar skipped a meeting of his party's Mumbai unit but said he had another programme to attend at the same time. NCP spokesman Clyde Crasto said if someone is unable to attend one event, that does not mean they are planning to quit.

BJP's Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said there was no talks between the BJP and Ajit Pawar. The leaders of MVA are defaming Ajit Pawar. They are posing questions on the credibility of Pawar. From the early morning swearing in (when Pawar broke ranks and allied with Devendra Fadnavis in 2019) till now, question marks are being raised on his life, stand and work," Bawankule said.

Uddhav Sena MP Sanjay Raut added to the speculation as he in his weekly column in party mouthpiece Saamana last Sunday wrote that Sharad Pawar told Uddhav Thackeray that there was a lot of pressire on some to break away. Families are being targeted but even if individuals take a different stand, NCP as a party will never go with the BJP, Sanjay Raut wrote referring to the senior Pawar.