Ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) supremo Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray may reconsider their stance vis-a-vis rebel MLAs who joined the incumbent chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
In a recent interaction with ABP Majha, Pawar said that all MLAs who went with his nephew and deputy CM Ajit Pawar are not barred from entry. He further said that NCP (SCP) will give a chance to new faces in the state elections, while adding new faces will be given maximum opportunity. "There is no ban on entry of all of them," Pawar said.
A senior NCP (SCP) leader said though the party did well in the Lok Sabha elections, it is important to win in the state. He added that Pawar saheb, as Sharad Pawar is fondly called, is willing to forgive some MLAs who went with Ajit Pawar out of compulsion but refrained from criticising or those who directly or indirectly helped the NCP (SCP) candidates in general elections.
Moreover, 3 Shinde Sena MLAs have got in touch with a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray and expressed their desire to return. Thackeray, however, is yet to take a decision on whether these MLAs will be taken back into the party fold or not, as per media reports.
NCP (SCP), Shiv Sena (UBT)'s U-turn on rebel MLAs
Sharad Pawar's latest interview can be seen as a stark U-turn from his comments on rebel MLAs in the past. Last Saturday, Pawar and Thackeray made it tacitly clear that there is no question of taking back those who sided with the rebel factions.
"There is no question of taking rebel leaders back," both the leaders said at a joint press conference of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which also has Congress as one of the three partner.
Are NCP MLAs in touch with NCP (SCP)?
Sharad Pawar's latest interview comes after his grandson Rohit Pawar's comments on NCP MLAs being in touch with the party. Last week, Sharad Pawar's grandson and NCP (SCP) leader Rohit Pawar claimed that 18-19 MLAs from Ajit Pawar's NCP were in touch and they could take any decision after the Monsoon Session of the state assembly.
He also suggested that if the MLAs leave now, they would not get any funds.