Amidst rumours of NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil resigning as the Maharashtra unit chief, senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Sunday claimed that Jayant Patil is apparently unhappy in the party and maintains regular contact with him, reported news agency PTI.
“Let`s wait and watch what changes unfold,” Mahajan said, stressing that he and Patil never discussed the latter`s possible resignation from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Moreover, Mahajan stated Patil had never spoken to him about quitting.
“Jayant Patil is a senior leader. If he has anything to say, he would speak to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” the Jamner MLA commented.
“There are reports that Jayant Patil has resigned as the state president of NCP (SP). I don`t think he is very happy in the party. Let us wait and see what changes take place.
He is regularly in touch with me, but we never spoke about this issue,” Mahajan told reporters. Meanwhile, political circles are abuzz with speculation that Patil has stepped down as the Maharashtra NCP (SP) president and that MLC Shashikant Shinde will succeed him. For its part, NCP (SP) on Saturday dismissed reports on Patil`s rumoured resignation as mischievous.
According to PTI, the NCP (SP) has convened its general body meeting on Tuesday, he had said without elaborating.
Meanwhile, addressing NCP (SP) workers and leaders on the 26th foundation day of NCP on 10th June, Patil hinted at relinquishing the state unit chief`s post in the presence of Sharad Pawar to make way for new faces.
Furthermore, Mahajan sought to frame the purported unhappiness of Patil in NCP (SP) as a conflict between the family – an apparent reference to Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule – and loyal workers.
“This is visible not just in their party but even in the Congress. It is now out in the open,” he added. He further said certain parties in India function as family units.
“They do not go beyond the family; their politics revolved around daughter, nephew, son-in-law etc. Because of this, senior and committed workers may leave these parties,” he added.
He also hailed the UNESCO tag for 12 forts built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, recalling that a list of forts was submitted for this recognition when he was the tourism minister, reported PTI.
“These forts will now receive more attention as tourist destinations. It is a proud day for all Shivbhaktas (followers of Shivaji Maharaj),” he added.
However, responding to a query on the Enforcement Directorate indicting NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar in the alleged MSCB scam, Mahajan said, “those indulged in corruption and responsible for wrongdoings will face consequences.” He added that if Rohit Pawar believes he had not done anything wrong, he should not be afraid of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Mahajan evaded a direct reply to Shiv Sena MLA and minister Sanjay Shirsat`s claim that a bag seen in a viral video featuring him contained only clothes and not cash. “Now that a film has been made out of it, questions like who was behind it and the purpose remain,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
