Mumbai: NCP working president Praful Patel Monday refused to answer whether he had ditched party supremo Sharad Pawar as he sided with the coup orchestrated by Ajit Pawar who along with 8 other MLAs took joined the Maharashtra government on Sunday.
When asked about it, Patel rolled up the window of his car and left without answering. Earlier in day, Praful said the decision to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government was a "collective" one which was taken by the party to provide political stability and ensure the development of Maharashtra and the country.
Talking to reporters, Patel took potshots at Congress and Rahul Gandhi while referring to the Patna meeting of Opposition parties. He said the decision to join the state government was taken for the welfare and development of the state and the country.
"The country has progressed under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the last nine years. I had been to Patna for the meeting of opposition parties. I saw what happened there. In the main opposition party Congress there is confusion about whether Rahul Gandhi is the leader or not. We don't know who runs that party," Patel told reporters.
Asked to spell out the exact number of MLAs backing Ajit Pawar, Patel claimed the entire party (53 MLAs) is together. Dealing a major blow to his uncle Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar on Sunday took oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra while eight MLAs of NCP joined as ministers.
"Joining the Maharashtra government was a collective decision taken by NCP for the development of the state, country and in view of the able leadership of PM Modi. In Nagaland, we have supported NDA. We have supported the Maharashtra government to ensure the development of the state and to provide political stability," Patel said.
