Londhe says Ajit Pawar meant to quit Mahayuti; NCP's Patil seeks proof as merger talk builds

Congress leader Atul Londhe has claimed that the late Ajit Pawar was preparing to walk out of the Mahayuti. The NCP has hit back, demanding evidence. All this comes while talk of the two NCP factions reuniting is getting louder across Maharashtra.

Londhe, who is the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee's chief spokesperson, told the media that Pawar's plan was to leave the alliance and become Chief Minister. He said talks on bringing the two NCP groups together had taken place while Pawar was alive. In Londhe's account, the union was to happen on February 12, and NCP MP Sunil Tatkare has since confirmed this. Londhe added that both parties were then fighting the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic elections together.

According to Londhe, Pawar was at that time speaking against the BJP and had said he would bring out the file on the irrigation scam from the 1995 coalition government. Londhe said the plane crash that killed Pawar came after this. He raised doubts over whether it was an accident or a conspiracy. "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." He noted that Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar had sought a CBI inquiry, which was not granted, and asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to get the matter properly investigated.

Londhe also said he would call on Sharad Pawar and give him a book by Sonia Gandhi, and that he had already handed copies to Sanjay Raut and several editors. He said he was certain Sharad Pawar would never join the ruling side, since Pawar had passed up that chance in 1999 even with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and had stayed with the ideology of Shiv, Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar.

NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil responded by asking what official statement, letter or reliable record supports the claim. He said the proof should be placed before the people of Maharashtra, and that after Ajitdada's death, anyone speaking about his political role must be more careful. Allegations are everyone's right in politics, he said, but whoever makes one must also prove it.

Londhe had also accused the BJP of a "use and throw" policy, saying it wins power with allies and then shrinks them. Patil said: "Londhe saheb, when making political allegations, one should also check history and figures." He pointed to the 28-year history of the NDA and listed how long partners have stayed with the BJP: Shiv Sena 37 years, Janata Dal (United) or the Samata Party 30 years, Telugu Desam Party 28 years, Apna Dal 12 years, Asom Gana Parishad 10 years, NDPP 8 years and Nishad Party 7 years. The Janata Dal (Secular) was with the BJP for 3 years, and the NCP for over 3 years. Patil accepted that some of these ties had strains and that alliances broke and were revived, saying there was no reason to hide it. He still asked how far the "use and throw" charge rests on facts.

On the merger, sources in the NCP say no proposal has reached Sharad Pawar. They say the discussion is stuck on how to carry forward what was settled in Ajit Pawar's lifetime, and on how a joint party would be run. One account traces the latest round to a meeting between Praful Patel and Sharad Pawar. Senior leaders of Sunetra Pawar's NCP are said to be pressing for the union. The open question is whether a merged party would sit with the INDIA bloc or the Mahayuti.

Tatkare met Sunetra Pawar on Pratipada and again on Tuesday, when they talked for about an hour and a half. He then met Fadnavis at the Varsha residence, which has drawn special attention. Sunetra Pawar said people would know in due course and did not rule out a merger. Statements from both camps have left things unclear.

Separately, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said 20 to 22 MLAs from the Pawar-led NCP are getting ready to leave. BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban asked why Raut had failed to foresee the exit of 40 MLAs from his own party under Eknath Shinde.