Will Be More Than Happy if Ajit Pawar Joins Our Party: RPI(A) Chief Athawale

Union minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said he would be happy if NCP leader Ajit Pawar joins his party.

Athawale also said that if he gets a chance to become the chief minister of Maharashtra, he will give that chance to Pawar.

Responding to questions from reporters here, the RPI(A) chief also said that he does not think Ajit Pawar will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Pawar’s cancellation of some programs and the fact that he was not reachable over the phone last Friday gave rise to speculation in some political circles about his next move.

The NCP leader on Saturday said he canceled his Friday programs as he was unwell after a long tour across Maharashtra and asked the media not to speculate on such issues as it leads to confusion.

Notably, amid the impasse over government formation in Maharashtra after the 2019 assembly elections, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar took oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister in an early morning ceremony on 23 November. His government lasted only 80 hours.

Responding to a question from reporters, Athawale said, “Ajit Pawar is (NCP president) Sharad Pawar’s nephew, he has given many portfolios and posts to Ajit Pawar. I think he (Ajit Pawar) was unwell and that is the reason why he could not be contacted.” Athawale said he did not think Ajit Pawar would join the BJP.

Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis are good friends. He said that once they took oath together to form the government in the state.

“I will be very happy if Ajit Pawar joins our party. If we get a chance for the chief minister’s post, we will give him that chance,” Athawale said.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)