Maharashtra unit chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Jayant Patil said that between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the former is better. Patil, while speaking to reporters just ahead of the party’s core committee meeting in Pune on Sunday, used the Marathi proverb – Dagada Peksha Veet Mau - which can be roughly translated into ‘lesser of the two evils’ - to indicate that Sena is better option as compared to the BJP.
“The final decision will be taken by Sharad Pawar, but there is no question of going with a party (BJP) against whom the NCP fought the elections,” he said.
He also denied that there were any differences within the NCP on whether the party should support the Sena or the BJP.
On many leaders who deserted the party just before elections, Patil said that those who had left the party before the assembly elections will be readmitted only on the basis of “merit”.
According to Patil, many of the MLAs who had joined the BJP before the elections were in contact with the party.
Asked if there will be a `mega-bharti’ (huge induction of leaders) into the NCP, Patil said, “There won’t be any mega-bharti. Leaders will be admitted into the party fold on the basis of merit. While admitting people into the party, we will have to consider the loyalty shown by younger leaders from each constituency who stayed with us.”
Patil along with several senior party leaders visited Sharad Pawar’s residence to attend the NCP core committee meeting. The issues related to formation of government in Maharashtra in alliance with the Shiv Sena and Congress were discussed in the core committee meeting.
{{/usCountry}}Patil along with several senior party leaders visited Sharad Pawar’s residence to attend the NCP core committee meeting. The issues related to formation of government in Maharashtra in alliance with the Shiv Sena and Congress were discussed in the core committee meeting.
{{/usCountry}}Chhagan Bhujbal, Ajit Pawar, Jitendra Avhad, Nawab Malik, Dhananjay Munde, Supriya Sule and Sunil Tatkare are among leaders who attended the meeting.
Shetti meets Pawar
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna chief Raju Shetti met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday at the latter’s residence in Modi Baug in Pune. Following the meeting, Shetti said he met Pawar to discuss crop damage issue in Maharashtra.