Shelke says no NCP MLA got a call from Sharad Pawar camp, denies split talk

Nationalist Congress Party MLA Sunil Shelke said no MLA of the party had received a call from the Sharad Pawar faction. He made the remark to the media after a meeting of party leaders with Sunetra Pawar.

MP Sanjay Raut had claimed that 20-22 MLAs of the Ajit Pawar faction were in a mood to leave the party. Following the claim, unease spread in the party and calls were reportedly made to MLAs from Sunetra Pawar's office. The meeting was held today in this backdrop.

Shelke said, "Who is trying to make Sunil Tatkare the villain? We held a meeting at Devgiri last week. Many issues were discussed in detail. Everyone put forth their views and spoke about the problems in their constituencies. Through this, all the MLAs have come together and given the message that we are united. The MLAs have shown that they stand with Sunetra Pawar."

On talk of contact with the Sharad Pawar faction, Shelke said, "I say openly and with full confidence that none of our MLAs is in touch with anyone. We did not receive a call from Sharad Pawar or from any leader of his party. I do not know since when Sanjay Raut started making predictions. What is wrong if we meet leaders of the Mahayuti?" With this, he dismissed all talk of a merger and of MLAs breaking away.

According to Shelke, all the party's MLAs and leaders are with Sunetra Pawar today. He said Tatkare had worked shoulder to shoulder with "Dada" for 40-45 years and had contributed to the building of Maharashtra. Tatkare, Praful Patel and Sunetra Pawar are all united, he said.

He said there was no question of a merger on the agenda at the meeting. There are countless workers who love Dada, he said, but after Dada they see Sunetra Pawar as his successor, and she alone has the authority to take all decisions.