Maharashtra Congress MLA Nana Patole said that NCP (SCP) leader Jayant Patil has assured him in a phone conversation not to leave the INDIA block. Patole termed the speculations about merger of NCP factions as an internal matter of the parties.
Nana Patole’s claim – Jayant Patil assured to remain in INDIA block
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [भारत]July 18 (ANI): Maharashtra Congress MLA Nana Patole said NCP (SCP) legislature party leader Jayant Patil has ruled out leaving the India block amid speculations of a merger between the two Nationalist Congress Party factions. Nana Patole termed the merger of NCP factions as an internal matter of the parties and said that Congress need not worry about it.
Patole told ANI, “I myself spoke to Jayant Patil yesterday. He said he will not leave; he will stay with the India Bloc. That’s what he told me. These are just speculations. Since that is what he has said, I think there is no reason to discuss it further. Since it is just speculation, there is no reason for us to get into it. Whether it is related to the Ajit Pawar faction or the Sharad Pawar faction, these are internal matters of the party. I don’t know.” Don’t think Congress needs to worry about these.”
Speculations intensified due to late night meetings
These rumors intensified after late night meetings in Mumbai between NCP (SCP) leader Jayant Patil, ruling NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare and CM Devendra Fadnavis. The Sharad Pawar-led party has said that these meetings were for administrative matters and not political realignment. NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar chose to remain silent amid reports of a possible split within his party and strongly rejected the speculations by saying, “Now is not the time to talk on this subject.” The measured response from the NCP (SCP) patriarch is a marked change from his stand in June, when he had asserted that rival camps like Shiv Sena (UBT) have broken, but his own camp remains completely intact, and declared, “Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs have been divided, but none of our MPs will be divided.”
Supriya Sule gave clarification on delimitation bill
Separately, there is also talk that the NDA is trying to bring together the Pawar faction to get the required numbers for the delimitation bill in the Lok Sabha. Notably, party working president Supriya Sule has ruled out any alliance, merger or backdoor talks with the NDA. In a post on Twitter, Sule clarified that the party has not held any official discussions with any media organization regarding the delimitation issue. He stressed that the party’s stance is formulated only after internal consultations and discussions with the India Bloc.
Sule said, “Recent reports published in some sections of the media regarding the stand of Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar (@NCPspeaks) on the delimitation issue are incorrect and speculative. I wish to clarify that neither I nor the party have had any official discussion with any media organization on this subject. Like every issue of constitutional importance, our party’s position is determined only after detailed consultation within the party and with our partners – the India Alliance. Therefore, we have to Any reports suggesting a definitive stance are baseless.”
The NCP leader further said that until the central government formally places the amended delimitation law before Parliament, it would be inappropriate to comment on any proposal. Sule further said, “Until the government formally places the amended delimitation law before Parliament, it would be inappropriate to comment on any proposal. Since no such bill has been made available yet, any speculation about its contents or our stand would be premature.” (ANI)
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