A day after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) denied allegations of a tie-up with the BJP claiming that both parties are at two ends of the river and cannot come together, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, on Sunday, ruled out a political combination comprising Sena, BJP and NCP by ditching the Congress to form the government in Maharashtra. Instead, Raut claimed that the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising Sena, NCP and Congress will complete a five-year term.
On the other hand, the Republican Party of India (RPI) chief and Union minister Ramdas Athavale urged Pawar that his party should join hands with the BJP to form the government in the state.
“Dreaming nothing will happen. The MVA government will complete its five year term,” said Raut.
His statement is important as the NCP has categorically denied any truce with the BJP, especially after party chief Sharad Pawar, on Saturday, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Parliament session on the cooperative bank issue. Pawar said no politics was discussed at the meeting. Raut had also said that there was no need to be surprised about the meeting between Pawar and Modi. “If Pawar has met the Prime Minister, then there is no need to be surprised. Pawar sahib and Modi ji share an old bond and they always consult each other,” he said.
Further, Raut’s statement came against the backdrop of state Congress chief Nana Patole’s “under watch” allegation which targeted CM Uddhav Thackeray and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. His repeated announcement of going solo in the upcoming elections in the state also received a lot of flak.
Referring to the NCP’s decision to quit the Congress-led government and announce going solo in the 2014 assembly elections, Patole claimed that the Congress was cheated in 2014, so was preparing for 2024 polls. He said, “We were cheated in the 2014 polls. We are now preparing for the next Lok Sabha elections keeping that in mind,” he added.
The NCP has hinted at its alliance with the Sena in the upcoming elections if the Congress decides to fight independently.
