Congress's Atul Londhe claims Ajit Pawar planned to quit Mahayuti and become CM

Political activity has picked up over the proposed merger of the two Nationalist Congress parties, with leaders continuing to hold meetings on the issue. Sunetra Pawar has also made a statement on it, adding to the suspense. Amid the talk, a statement by Congress leader Atul Londhe has stirred reactions.

Londhe claimed that Ajit Pawar's plan was to leave the Mahayuti and become Chief Minister. The claim has further heated up the discussion. Londhe spoke to the media about the NCP merger.

Londhe said: "Today I will go to meet Sharad Pawar. I will present him the book written by our leader Sonia Gandhi. Yesterday too, I met Sanjay Raut and several editors and presented them the book. I know that Sharad Pawar will never go into power. He got the chance to go into power in 1999, even with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but he did not do so. He did not abandon the ideology of Shiv, Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar. That is why I am sure that Pawar Saheb will not go into power."

Londhe further claimed that talks on a merger of the two NCP factions had taken place while Ajit Pawar was alive. According to him, the merger was to take place on February 12, and Tatkare has now also given this information. Londhe said that when the merger was being discussed, both NCP parties were contesting the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad elections together.

Londhe claimed that at that time Ajit Pawar was speaking against the BJP. He had also said he would bring out the file on the irrigation scam of the 1995 coalition government. According to Londhe's claim, his plane crash happened after this.

Londhe said: "There are also many questions over whether Ajit Pawar's plane crash was an accident or a conspiracy. I had said then, how could the plane's black box move. The black box is in the tail of the aircraft, and the tail never burns. There are many such questions, but the investigation does not appear to be going in the right direction."

Londhe said Sunetra Pawar had demanded a CBI inquiry into the plane crash, but that was not accepted either. He said: "What on earth is going on now? My demand to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is that he get the matter investigated properly."