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Journalism of Courage
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday hinted that his party’s doors remain open to MLAs who had sided with Ajit Pawar, leading to a split in the party. However, he said he would consult his colleagues before welcoming such MLAs back to the party fold.
“Wherever the joining (of those MLAs) will help the party and boost the morale of the workers, there is no problem in taking them in. But those who have worked to weaken the party by staying inside the party and harming party interests will not be taken back, as emotions of party workers will need to be respected,” he clarified. “There cannot be a generalised statement on this. All our colleagues will be taken into confidence. Their suggestions will be considered and respected. Only then a decision will be taken.”
Pawar was speaking at a press conference after Suryakanta Patil, a former Union minister from Nanded, returned to the NCP (SP).
The NCP(SP) chief’s statement comes against the background of growing speculations that 18-19 MLAs from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP are trying to return to the Sharad Pawar camp and contacting him ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar’s party won eight out of 10 seats it contested despite the split. On the contrary, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP managed to win only one of the four seats it contested.
Last week, NCP (SP) Maharashtra chief Jayant Patil said that Ajit Pawar’s MLAs would start returning to the NCP (SP) next month after the state budget.
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