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Journalism of Courage
PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal is the lone candidate who has agreed to shift from state politics to the Centre. The remaining half-a-dozen senior leaders and ministers of NCP do not want to leave the Assembly.
An NCP general secretary said,The party wants to field half-a-dozen senior ministers in the Lok Sabha election from Maharashtra. However,most ministers are reluctant. The only one who has given consent without conditions is Bhujbal.
NCP is considering ministers Jayant Patil,Ganesh Naik,Vijaykumar Gavit,Gulabrao Deokar and Fauzia Khan to contest Lok Sabha polls.
At a recent meeting,party president Sharad Pawar indicated senior and experienced candidates should prepare to shift to the Centre. He said the party wanted to improve its Lok Sabha tally.
Of the 22 Lok Sabha seats it contested in 2009,NCP won only eight.
For Union agriculture minister Pawar to emerge a major player at the Centre post 2014 polls,senior party leaders said,NCP needed to increase its tally to a decent 15 seats.
However,a senior cabinet minister said,If there is a clear directive from the NCP president to leave the state and contest for Lok Sabha we cannot defy. But if our views are sought,we will say no.
If Congress and NCP are voted to power in the state,it will ensure our ministerial berths. Even if UPA is voted to power at the Centre,there will be a limit to accommodate candidates in cabinet .
The seniors also believe a shift to Delhi will threaten their base in Maharashtra.
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