Ajit-led NCP’s Pimpri unit chief likely to join Pawar faction; party says speculations

There were reports of Gavahane and a group of former corporators meeting Sharad Pawar at his residence in Pune on Saturday. However, Gavahane denied that any such meeting took place.

“No, we did not meet Sharad Pawar. Why should we meet him ?,” he said.

The NCP’s Pimpri Chinchwad chief said that he has met his party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar recently and has conveyed his desire to contest the assembly election from Bhosari constituency.

“I have been aiming to contest the election from Bhosari constituency for a long time. This time, I have made up my mind. Therefore, I met our party chief Ajit Pawar and told him it,” Gavahane said.

Asked whether he will quit NCP if Ajit Pawar refuses to give him a green signal, Gavahane said, “So far, my leader has not shown a red signal. Therefore, I don’t want to comment about it as of now. But one thing is sure I am determined to contest the election from Bhosari seat.”

However, sources close to Gavahane said that he will quit the NCP soon as there is not much time left for the assembly elections.

Over 15 former corporators from Bhosari Assembly seats are also likely to walk over to NCP (SP) along with him, sources close to the leader added. NCP’s state spokesperson Umesh Patil also dismissed report of Gavahane leaving the party as “speculations”.

“No former corporator or any of our leader is leaving the party. The opposition is planting such stories to create confusion among our voters,” Patil said.

BJP MLA Mahesh Landge was elected from Bhosari constituency for last two terms. Landge and Gavahane are relatives but the latter had defeated Landge’s brother in the 2017 civic elections from Bhosari.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders said that the party will not give up the Bhosari seat to its alliance partner NCP.

“I don’t think BJP will give up the Bhosari seat for NCP. Bhosari seat is a safe seat given the popularity of Mahesh Landge. In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, it was the Bhosari seat from where the BJP-led alliance candidate Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil was leading while in all other seats he was trailing to NCP (SP) candidate,” said former BJP corporator Seema Savale.

“If Ajit Gavahane also jumps into the fray as is being speculated, then it will first become a tough battle. Mahesh Landge and Ajit Gavahane battle will be a riveting one. But these are only speculations,” she said.

On the possibility of Gavahane leaving the party since he wants to contest the Assembly polls, Patil said, “Any decision regarding fielding a candidate from a particular constituency is taken based on the elective merit of that candidate… If Gavahane thinks he has the elective merit, the party will take it into consideration.”

Terming Gavahane as the “trusted lieutenant” of Ajit Pawar, he added, “Our party chief has entrusted the job of Pimpri-Chinchwad unit’s chief in Ajit Gavahane. We are confident he and other former corporators will remain with us.”