“Only discussed formation of our government in Maharashtra”: Praful Patel on Union Minister post

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 3 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel on Monday denied the speculation that he may get a Union Minister post as part of an arrangement following Ajit Pawar’s coup and said that the party had not discussed anything about Delhi and that the only topic they had talked about was the creation of the Maharashtra government.

“We are the NCP and that is what we are doing. We will decide now if I have to go to Delhi. We have not discussed anything about Delhi, we have only discussed the formation of our government in Maharashtra,” said NCP leader Praful Patel while responding to questions from the media if he would be granted the position of the Union Minister.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led administration in Maharashtra on Sunday. Patel was present at the hastily organised swearing ceremony that took place at Raj Bhavan.

Earlier on July 2, NCP working President Praful Patel on Sunday said that no one has any pressure from anywhere when asked if the NCP leaders joining the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis Maharashtra Government had any pressure from the Enforcement Directorate, as alleged by NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

“I will not comment on whatever our leader Sharad Pawar has said, he is a highly respectable person. Whatever decision we have taken… as Ajit Pawar mentioned in his press conference, it is the party’s decision, a collective decision. There is no pressure from anyone..,” says NCP working president Praful Patel on party chief Sharad Pawar’s statement hinting that the NCP split under indirect pressure from the Enforcement Directorate.

Talking to reporters after his nephew and eight other party leaders rebelled and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar said he was not worried about what happened and will work to strengthen the party again.

He also hinted at action against party leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, saying they did not follow their responsibilities. Sharad Pawar said some of those who joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government were facing ED cases.

Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. Eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers.”This is not ‘googly’, it is a robbery. It is not a small thing,” Sharad Pawar said.

“Some of my colleagues have taken a different stand. I had called a meeting of all the leaders on July 6, where some important issue was to be discussed and some changes were to be made within the party but before that meeting, some of the leaders have taken a different stand,” he added.

Sharad Pawar said that they will sit with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray in the next two to three days to access the situation. “Our main strength is the common people, they have elected us.”

Apparently referring to Ajit Pawar who faced accusations related to the alleged irrigation scam, Pawar took a dig at BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, “It is clear that all the charges have been cleared”.