A day after the election results of five states which saw Congress winning three and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) drawing a duck, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders claimed that many BJP and Shiv Sena leaders are in touch with them and would be inducted at right time.
NCP’s Ajit Pawar claimed on Wednesday that the leaders who deserted the party in 2014 are trying to return now.
“I don’t want to name anyone. But it is true that some of those who left the NCP in 2013 and 2014 are in touch and want to rejoin the party as they are disappointed with BJP. Any decision on their induction is yet to be taken. Party’s senior leaders will take a final call on that,” said Mr. Pawar indicating that there could be major changes in state politics soon.
Around 15 State-level leaders of NCP had joined BJP ahead of general and Assembly elections in 2014. Sources said that now these turncoats are disturbed over BJP’s changing electoral fortunes and may return. For Congress, former MP Nana Patole and former MLA Ashish Deshmukh, two leaders from Vidarbha, returned to the party and many others are reportedly in waiting.
“Two senior leaders from north Maharashtra and one from western Maharashtra are in touch with the NCP leadership. Two leaders of different communities recently met Mr. Pawar and expressed their desire to join back,” said another senior NCP leader.
BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Pune, Sanjay Kakde was present to wish NCP president Sharad Pawar on his 78th birthday at Yashwantrao Chavan centre and later travelled in his car to his residence. Last week, an influential member of the Hiray family from Nashik district rejoined the NCP after quitting the BJP.