BJP Leader Pankaja Munde's Long-Time Confidant Joins NCP (SP)

Mumbai: Months ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, BJP leader Pankaja Munde's long-time confidant, Rajabhau Phad, joined the NCP (SP) in the presence of its party leader Sharad Pawar on Wednesday.

Sharad Pawar Launches Veiled Attack

Inducting him into the party fold, Pawar launched a veiled attack on the NCP leaders who broke away to join hands with the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena.

Phad Poised To Play Crucial Role To Win Munde's Parli Seat

Phad, who has been a sarpanch in Parli for 25 years and a former youth president of the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP), is poised to play a crucial role in the NCP (SP)'s strategy to win back the Parli seat from Munde, he said.

Those Who Formed Govt In Our Name Abandoned Us: Pawar

"The prime minister kept saying '400 paar', but after the (Lok Sabha) elections, they didn't even reach 240 seats. Those who won elections in our name and formed a government have abandoned us. But we will not rest until we change the government," Pawar said.

Phad claimed that there was an atmosphere of political persecution in Parli.

"Not a single 'karyakarta' (party worker) has been spared from false cases. Whenever someone joins an opposition party, fake cases are filed against them. A fake case will be filed against me too, but people are with Pawar saheb," he added.

Phad accused Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde of siphoning off public funds meant for Parli's development.

NCP (SP) leader Bajrang Sonawane, who represents the Beed Lok Sabha constituency, also addressed the gathering.

Sonawane, who defeated Munde in the recent high-stakes Lok Sabha elections, emphasized the growing discontent in the Mahayuti alliance, particularly in Parli.

"We don't need to wait for the assembly elections. What Parli does and what happens when someone is insulted was seen in the Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Phad's defection to the NCP (SP) is being seen as a blow to the ruling Mahayuti.

(with PTI inputs)