NCP MLAs Wanted To Join BJP In 2022, Wrote To Sharad Pawar: Praful Patel

Praful Patel, Rajya Sabha MP of the Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar faction, claimed that those aligned with Sharad Pawar at present had signed a letter in June last year asking the party founder to join hands with the BJP to form the government in Maharashtra.

The NCP split on July 2 after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government comprising the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Praful Patel said, "Those who are currently with Sharad Pawar had signed a letter requesting him to join hands with BJP in 2022. When Eknath Shinde was in Surat and later in Guwahati, all 51 NCP MLAs, including some 15 ministers in then MVA government, had signed a letter requesting Sharad Pawar to join hands with Eknath Shinde and the BJP." 

"We at the time presumed Devendra Fadnavis would be Chief Minister. Surprisingly, nobody talks about the 2022 incident," Mr Patel said.

Responding to a question about Sharad Pawar's stand on the letter, Praful Patel said, "If the question is were we permitted to talk to the BJP, the answer is yes. Jayant Patil, then state president of the NCP, called Sharad Pawar. He (Patil) said we are going to meet Amit Shah." 

Mr Patel claimed Sharad Pawar cautioned Jayant Patil against attracting media attention and suggested that he meet the Union Home Minister discreetly.

"Two-three days passed and Eknath Shinde was sworn in as Chief Minister," Praful Patel said.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government of the undivided Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress under Uddhav Thackeray collapsed in June last year after Mr Shinde's rebellion.

During the time the MVA was being formed in late 2019, Mr Patel said he had asked Sharad Pawar why the Sena, with 56 MLAs, was not sharing the post of the Chief Minister with the NCP with 54 MLAs and Mr Pawar told him to speak with Uddhav Thackeray about it.

"When I told him (Sharad Pawar) my opinion, he kept quiet. Uddhav and Aaditya were there at the meeting. We would not have taken this step (breaking away) if the Chief Minister's post was shared with the NCP," Mr Patel further said.

Asked if some NCP leaders joined the Shinde government out of fear of action by probe agencies, Praful Patel said Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray had used "the worst kind of language against Sharad Pawar" but the NCP and Sena still joined hands to form the government.

"The Sena and BJP are two sides of the same coin. Who indulged in riots against north Indians, south Indians, and minorities? Was it Shiv Sena or the BJP? They used vicious language. But we kept it aside and joined hands with the Sena," Mr Patel said.

Asked about the NCP still having hopes of getting chief ministership, Mr Patel said, "Until the assembly polls, Eknath Shinde is the Chief Minister. There is no vacancy. We should not have any hopes and we don't. After that, it is a matter of coalition."

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