No turning back from decision to join NDA: NCP ahead of Maharashtra speaker’s verdict on petitions

Mumbai: Hours before Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar’s verdict on Thursday on the petitions filed by the two NCP factions against each other, the group headed by Ajit Pawar asserted that it won’t backtrack on its decision to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The NCP was split in July last year after Ajit Pawar along with eight other MLAs joined the state government under the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and BJP, resulting in the cross-petitions.

As directed by the Supreme Court, Speaker Narwekar is expected to deliver his verdict on Thursday on the disqualification petitions by the rival NCP factions.

Speaking to the news channel ABP Majha, Sunil Tatkare from NCP (Ajit Pawar group) said, “There is no turning back from our decision to join the NDA. The decision was taken by our leader and state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. We are hopeful that the speaker will give his verdict in our favour.” The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently allotted the party name 'NCP' and poll symbol ‘clock’ to the Ajit Pawar-led group. It has also allotted ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ as the party name for the group led by Sharad Pawar.

Tatkare, who is the party’s state president and also a Lok Sabha member, claimed that some leaders from the NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar are keen on switching over to their side.

“Some of them are in touch with me, while others are in contact with Ajit Pawar. We are not opposed to inducting anyone from that side into our party ahead of the elections,” he said.

Tatkare also claimed that his faction has received a good response from the various sections of society, especially after it decided to join the government.

“It is evident that our leadership is widely accepted among the people, as demonstrated by the support of 43 out of 53 MLAs,” he said.

On Wednesday, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) rejected reports that it was planning to merge with any other political party.