Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said on Saturday that there have been no discussions regarding seat sharing so far within the ruling alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
He said the tripartite Mahayuti government, comprising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and NCP faction of Ajit Pawar – is stable as all 200 MLAs are united, and the State is doing well under the leadership of Mr. Shinde.
After a recent bout of dengue lasting 15 days, Mr. Pawar dismissed allegations that he was feigning ‘a political illness’ and had aired a few complaints to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “I suffered from dengue for 15 days. However, some people claimed I had a ‘political’ illness, it was nothing like that,” he asserted.
He said no discussions have taken place regarding seat sharing for the upcoming elections in Maharashtra. “Assembly elections are under way in some States. So, no talks have been held so far,” he clarified.
Turning his attention to water management amid a drought-like situation in the State, Mr. Pawar mentioned an upcoming meeting with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, and Collectors to formulate plans to address the issue and tackle the prevailing situation.
Disqualification petitions
On Friday, rival factions of the NCP submitted their responses to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar in connection with disqualification petitions filed against each other.
It was in July that Mr. Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Mr. Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP government, thus splitting the party. While Mr. Pawar was made the Deputy Chief Minister, the eight MLAs – including Chhagan Bhujbal and the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s close confidant Dilip Walse-Patil – were inducted as Ministers and given key portfolios.
