Mumbai: Senior minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday said if Sharad Pawar wanted to join hands with BJP to form government in Maharashtra he could have easily ensured support of all the party MLAs since he is the party chief.
"Some people wanted to spread rumours about Pawar to create confusion in the ruling coalition," said Bhujbal adding that Pawar had no plans to go with BJP.
‘’Pawar was in favour of going with Congress and Shiv Sena to provide an alternative government in the state. It is wrong to say that he was toeing idea of joining hands with BJP,’’ Bhujbal told FPJ.
Bhujbal was reacting to the Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis’ statement that Ajit Pawar had discussed with NCP chief Sharad Pawar the issue of allying with BJP to form government in the state.
"He made me talk to some MLAs who told me they wanted to go with the BJP. Ajit Pawar also told me he had discussed it with (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar," Devendra Fadnavis had said in an interview to a TV channel.
"Ajit Pawar approached us and said that the NCP doesn't want to go with the Congress. A three-party government [also involving the Shiv Sena] can't run," Devendra Fadnavis had said.
Bhujbal reiterated that had Pawar wanted to align with BJP, he would have taken all the party legislators with him. “Had Pawar decided to go with BJP no one would have stopped him,’’ he viewed.
Bhujbal said his party took Congress, which was its poll ally, into confidence and then held talks with Shiv Sena on the government formation.
"Two-three rounds of talks took place in Delhi. Thereafter, NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena drafted a common minimum programme and later Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed."
On the cabinet expansion, Bhujbal said it was the CM’s prerogative and added the decision in this regard will be taken after the week-long winter session ends on December 21.
