“All statements made by Praful Patel are meaningless,” says NCP-SCP leader Clyde Crasto

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 11 (ANI): On Praful Patel’s claim that Sharad Pawar was 50pc ready to join hands with BJP in 2023, NCP-SCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said that there is no truth in the statements made by him.

“This statement is meaningless and of no value and there is no truth in it. All these statements are only being made to increase their value as the BJP is treating the Ajit Pawar group as if they are nobody… If things were supposed to happen, they would’ve happened a long time ago,” said Clyde Crasto.

He further stated that the rallies were held by BJP in Maharashtra. There was no clock symbol given to Ajit Pawar’s party in the rallies only the lotus symbol was there.

He pointed out, “There is no point in talking like this right now. Everybody in the country knows that if you want value and free publicity, all you have to take is Sharad Pawar’s name. People start looking at you and press personnel start coming to you.”

Earlier, on whether or not Sharad Pawar wanted to go with BJP after Ajit Pawar’s oath-taking in July 2023, Nationalist Congress Party’s Praful Patel said, “On 2nd July 2023, when Ajit Pawar and our ministers took oath with Maharashtra govt. On 15th-16th July, we met Sharad Pawar and requested him to join us. Later, Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar met in Pune. He was also 50% ready…Sharad Pawar always hesitates at the last minute…In 1996, if Pawar Saheb had agreed to the suggestions of HD Devegowda, then he could have been the PM. Sharad Pawar could have been PM in 1996 itself if he was not hesitant.”

Notably, the Lok Sabha polls will be held in the state in five phases from April 19 to May 20.

In the first phase on April 19, Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, and Chandrapur will go to polls. Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani will vote in the second phase on April 26. Raigad, Baramati, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur will vote in the third phase to be held on May 7. Polling will be held across Nandurbhar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Beed, and Shirdi in the fourth phase on May 13. Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South and Mumbai South-Central will vote in the final phase on May 20.

Votes will be counted on June 4.