Ajit Pawar on Sunil Tatkare Calling NCP (SP) MPs To Switch Sides, Says 'Complete Lie'

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday refuted rumours that his party leader Sunil Tatkare called members of NCP(SP) to get them to switch sides.

NCP (SP) MLA and former state minister Jitendra Awhad had on Wednesday alleged that Sunil Tatkare, state chief of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, had asked MPs to "leave the father and daughter", an apparent reference to Sharad Pawar and his daughter, Baramati MP Supriya Sule.

"It is all a lie. Three to four MPs (from NCP-SP )- Nilesh Lanke, Amar Kale and two more have clarified in front of the media that they have not been contacted by Tatkare or anyone else. If these people are saying that they have not received any calls, why level allegations," the deputy CM said.

Tatkare said such baseless allegations were being made to keep the NCP (SP) flock together after the drubbing it received in the November assembly polls.

All MPs With Sharad Pawar: Anil Deshmukh

NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said all 12 MPs of the party were with NCP-SP supremo Sharad Pawar, and there was no substance in the speculation about the two rival factions of the NCP coming together.

He was responding to a question about reports that the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar had approached some Lok Sabha members of the Sharad Pawar group in an attempt to get them to defect. There was also a buzz that the NCP factions led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit would join hands soon in the aftermath of the Maharashtra assembly polls.

"It is all false. All our eight Lok Sabha MPs and four Rajya Sabha MPs stand behind Sharad Pawar," Deshmukh told reporters here.

Talking about the brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district, the former home minister said strict action should be taken against those involved in the crime. (with PTI inputs)