NCP MLA Baban Shinde meets Devendra Fadnavis, fuels speculations

The six-term MLA from Solapur was absent during the Speaker’s election of the Maharashtra Assembly held on July 3.

Mumbai: After toppling the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to give another jolt to the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as MLA Baban Shinde from the Madha constituency in Solapur district may join the ruling party.

Shinde and Patil met Fadnavis at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi.

On Monday, Shinde along with a former MLA Rajan Patil met deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was in Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected President Droupadi Murmu, fueling speculations that they are jumping the ship. NCP, however, clarified that they have met Fadnavis for constituency-related work. Shinde too denied that he will leave the NCP.

Shinde and Patil met Fadnavis at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. The six-term MLA from Solapur was absent during the Speaker’s election of the Maharashtra Assembly held on July 3.

In 1995, Shinde was elected as an Independent MLA for the first time.

“Why would I leave when I am a sitting MLA of NCP. I met Fadnavis for constituency-related work. I came to Delhi because I wanted to meet someone at the union agriculture ministry. Later when I came back to Maharashtra Sadan, Fadnavis was also there so I met him as well,” Shinde told Hindustan Times.

In April, there were reports that Shinde has receiced a notice from the enforcement directorate. He and his son Ranjitsinh Shinde also appeared before the central agency.

Senior NCP leader and leader of opposition Ajit Pawar also said that they did meet the deputy chief minister but for constituency-related issues.

“It is a normal practice. When I was deputy chief minister, BJP MPs and MLAs used to me. They come to meet as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. We also go to meet them, but that doesn’t mean we are joining their party,” Pawar clarified.

Rajan Patil is a former MLA from Mohol Assembly constituency also in Solapur district. He was a three-term MLA from the constituency but could not contest the election since the seat got reserved.

The party assured him the post of MLC but did not fulfil the promise, the NCP insiders said.

“I have not taken any decision on joining BJP. I am with NCP,” Patil said.

NCP insiders believe that the BJP wants to destabilize the opposition parties and thus would break MLAs from NCP as well as Congress.

“They want to destabilise the opposition in the state by adopting such tactics ahead of the local body elections. The morale of the cadre will go down if it starts happening as we have recently lost the power in the state,” said an NCP functionary, wishing not to be named.

Meanwhile, senior Shiv Sena leader Arjun Khotkar on Monday met chief minister Eknath Shinde leading to speculations that he will join the Shinde-led faction against party president Uddhav Thackeray.

He met the chief minister at Maharashtra Sadan where union minister Raosaheb Danve and other leaders from Marathwada were also present. The meeting comes in the backdrop of Thackeray appointing Khotkar as ‘Upneta’ (deputy leader), an important position in the party organization.

Khotkar, however, denied leaving Shiv Sena. “What is wrong with meeting the chief minister of the state? There is no pressure from Shinde or anyone else. I am still in Shiv Sena as I’m a Sainik of Shiv Sena president,” Khotkar said.

Danve said that Shinde wanted me and Khotkar to work together and by keeping the past behind. “We both have agreed to it,” he said.

Khotkar and Danve come from the Jalna district and are said to be political rivals.