Mumbai: NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule on Wednesday dismissed speculation over meetings between her party leaders and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying there was no political strategy behind the interactions.
Addressing a press conference, Sule said senior party leader Jayant Patil had officially sought an appointment with Fadnavis to raise the issue of action taken against an NCP (SP) municipal council president.
"Jayant Patil officially sought time from the chief minister, went in his car and returned in his car. There was nothing secretive about the meeting. If you want to know who else met the chief minister at his residence, you should ask the chief minister, not me," she said.
Also read: NCP (SP) not involved in any merger talks with Congress: Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule
Meetings of leaders from the ruling NCP and NCP (SP) at 'Varsha', CM's official residence, late on Tuesday night have fuelled speculation about a change in political equations in Maharashtra.
The meetings come against the backdrop of Congress leader P Chidambaram's claim that the BJP is wooing the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the DMK to get their support for the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, proposing to raise Lok Sabha seats to 850 and initiate delimitation in the Monsoon session of Parliament starting July 20.
Rejecting speculation about the NCP (SP) joining the ruling alliance, Sule said the media had been predicting her swearing-in and ministerial portfolio for the past 12 years.
"The chief minister alone decides who gets which portfolio. All these reports about the finance department or meetings at Varsha are speculative. Only the chief minister can answer such questions," she said.
On reports of meetings with leaders across political parties, Sule said political and personal interactions should not always be viewed through the lens of conspiracy.
"My breakfast yesterday was with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the 'One Nation, One Election' meeting. Later, I met MPs Dimple Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav because we share family relations. Every meeting should not be interpreted as political plotting," she said.
On the proposed delimitation exercise, Sule said the INDIA bloc would formulate its stand only after the Centre placed a formal bill before Parliament.
"We have not received any proposal on delimitation. Once the bill comes, we will discuss it in detail within the INDIA alliance. We had earlier demanded the formula in writing. We cannot comment without seeing the legislation," she said.
She also cautioned against any arbitrary delimitation exercise, saying constituency boundaries should be redrawn strictly according to established legal norms and not to suit any political party.
The Baramati MP said she would attend the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on July 19 and the all-party meeting convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on July 20.
She said her party would demand a detailed national discussion on the water crisis and farmers' issues, besides seeking clarity on the Centre's economic strategy amid the evolving global situation.
Targeting the BJP, Sule also demanded an impartial probe into alleged irregularities in the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, which ensures monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women, saying an SIT could be constituted if required.
She further expressed concern over allegations of corruption in the Ram temple project in Ayodhya, saying the issue had deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees.
"Our faith has been hurt. If there are allegations of corruption at a place of worship like the Ram temple, the Centre must clarify what action it will take," she said.
She said that though the INDIA bloc is a grouping of opposition parties, it has always stood by "India, the country".
"When the country was attacked, the Congress stood with the nation and the government. Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge made it clear that the attack was on the country, not on any individual or party.
"During Operation Sindoor, 100 MPs travelled abroad to present India's position. At that time, there was no question of NDA or INDIA alliance. For us, the nation comes first, followed by the state, the party and then the family," she said.
Referring to speculation over the Opposition's stand on the proposed delimitation bill, she said there was "no question" of going against the INDIA bloc.
"All constituents of the INDIA bloc are discussing the issue. This is Parliament, not a conversation over coffee. Nothing is official unless it is documented in writing. We were not satisfied with the formula or its implementation, and a collective decision will be taken after consultations," she said.
Sule also stressed that decisions in the Opposition alliance are taken collectively. "This is a very important bill for the country, and we will decide together what is in the national interest," she said.
Giving the example of the passage of the Goods and Services Tax law, she said consensus-building was not new to the Opposition.
"We passed the GST Bill after extensive consultations. P Chidambaram had given several important suggestions on that legislation," she added.
