With the buzz around him joining the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensation refusing to abate, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday again reiterated he would “remain in the NCP till his last breath.”
Addressing a meeting of his party workers and constituents in the Pawar clan stronghold Baramati (in Pune district), Mr. Pawar said that lots of rumours had been spread about him “for no reason” in the past few days and urged his supporters not to fall prey to wild speculation.
“I have said before that I will remain in the NCP till my last breath. In the last few days, lots of rumours have been spread about me for no reason and a cloud of doubt created around me [alluding to buzz about possible defection to ruling BJP-Eknath Shinde dispensation]. But I remain committed to my work and have been going about it…Do not fall prey to such speculation,” said Mr. Pawar, who is Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and the nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
