'PM Modi's charisma would benefit Maharashtra': Ajit Pawar amid speculations of joining Sharad Pawar

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Ajit Pawar said, “Nobody is permanent friend or foe in politics. This is politics. It is our expectation that PM Modi's charisma would benefit Maharashtra and hence we all decided to join the (BJP-Shiv Sena) government for the benefit of the state." He further clarified that there is ‘no self-interest’ behind joining the Maharashtra government and dismissed any kind of speculative talks in this matter, as per PTI reports.

“I am a person who likes to work and like to speak through my work. I won't respond to comments made against me by anyone," Ajit Pawar said. Notably, Ajit Pawar's uncle and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had addressed a rally in Beed ten days ago.

In July, Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Maharashtra. He was then sworn in as a Deputy Chief Minister of the state along with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. However, there are speculation that Ajit Pawar might be willing to join Sharad Pawar's party again.

With the Ajit Pawar group still using Sharad Pawar’s picture on some of its billboards, it is clear that the faction is not confident of winning elections without the support of Sharad Pawar. The Pawar senior has consistently maintained that he is against joining hands with the BJP and has called Ajit Pawar and other MLAs “cowards" without taking their names. On Friday, Sharad Pawar claimed that there was no split on NCP and Ajit Pawar is its leader, however, he denied his statement within hours, PTI reported.