Sharad Pawar Group’s Leader Denies Joining BJP, Bawankule Says All are Welcome
Mumbai: NCP leader Jayant Patil has denied that he has any offer from the BJP or that he is joining the saffron party. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakule Bawankule also said that he did not have any discussion with Mr. Patil regarding his entry into the BJP, but he was not aware if the NCP is leader is holding talks with senior leaders in Deli. Mr. Bawankule also denied any unrest in his party over the influx of leaders from other parties and everyone is welcome in the BJP.
According to sources, Mr. Patil visited Delhi last week and met a senior BJP leader. There are also reports that he will be given a cabinet portfolio if joins the BJP. However, he denied meeting anyone in the BJP.
“I have not visited Delhi for several months now. Even when we were fighting a legal battle before the Election Commission, I was in Maharashtra working for the party organisation. No BJP leader has contacted me, nor have I contacted anyone in the BJP. I am surprised that these speculations are going on. We are working under the leadership of Sharad Pawar. There is a split in our party, but we will emerge stronger,” Mr. Patil said.
However, the BJP has neither confirmed nor denied the reports about Mr. Patil’s possible entry. State BJP president Mr. Bawankule said, “People are showing faith in Modi’s guarantee. People from all over the country want to join the BJP. We are not going to say no to anyone.”
Speaking about reports about Mr Patil, the BJP leader said he is not aware of it. “Mr. Patil is a senior leader of Sharad Pawar’s party. I have no idea who he is talking to in the BJP. But I can confirm that he not in my contact.”
While some senior leaders from other parties are joining the BJP, the party’s cadre is unhappy about it as many of them feel that they are being left out or sidelined in the party. Recently, the son of BJP’s Maharashtra vice-president Madhav Bhandari criticised the party for not doing justice to his father, who has worked for more than 50 years for the party.
However, Mr. Bawankule said that nobody was unhappy in the party. “In BJP, we work with the motto ‘nation first’. Therefore there is no question of unrest among the BJP workers. There is an ample space in the party. Whoever wants to become party of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is welcome in our party,” he said.
