Pune, Oct 7 (PTI) The BJP on Monday questioned the integrity of former party leader and NCP (SP)-inductee Harshvardhan Patil who acknowledged indirectly helping Supriya Sule in Lok Sabha elections against the Mahayuti candidate.
The BJP attributed Patil’s exit and switching over to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) to his “personal ambitions for power”.
NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar suggested that Patil, a former MLA, was eyeing a ticket to contest from the Indapur constituency.
The political feud between Ajit Pawar and Patil is a long-standing one. Speaking at his induction in NCP (SP) in Indapur, Patil virtually acknowledged his “invisible” support in ensuring the victory of Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, who had defeated Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar from her home turf Baramati by more than 1.5 lakh votes in Lok Sabha elections.
The Mahayuti, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP led by Ajit Pawar, had contested the Parliamentary elections in an alliance against the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi of NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress.
“Harshvardhan Patil’s remarks could be shocking even for the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) considering his disloyalty to the BJP which accorded him respect and position,” said BJP chief spokesman Keshav Upadhye.
He pointed out that Patil allied with Sharad Pawar despite a long-standing feud between the Pawar senior and Patil’s uncle, former Baramati MP Shankarrao Patil.
“This alliance reveals that personal ambition and power may be his (Patil’s) priorities. People will answer to this in the coming days,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in Satara, Ajit Pawar said Patil might have thought that the Indapur constituency might be allocated to the sitting MLA as everyone aspires to become a legislator.
The Indapur seat is currently represented by Ajit Pawar loyalist Dattatreya Bharne of NCP.
“We three parties (in Mahayuti alliance) will jointly face the elections. However, aspirants from all three parties vie for tickets,” Ajit Pawar said.
Asked about Patil’s remarks regarding”invisible support” to Sule during Lok Sabha elections, Pawar chose not to respond, saying he didn’t hear them. PTI SPK NSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.