Must Not Reject Those Who Want To Return, Says Sharad Pawar's Party Leader

Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party chief Jayant Patil on Friday said if those who left the party have a "change of heart" and want to return, then their overtures must not be rejected as "numbers hold considerable importance in politics".

On July 2, the NCP suffered a vertical split after senior leader Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil, joined the Eknath Shinde government. Pawar was made deputy chief minister.

Patil claimed some persons who left the party have confided in him about wanting to return, adding that "these individuals are gradually gaining insights into public sentiment (on their switching sides)".

The NCP state unit chief also said if everyone remains united in the party then those who left will eventually return.

"Today, NCP workers are diligently serving the party with enhanced dedication so we should not believe significant numbers have deserted the party. It is true some individuals who were provided multiple opportunities within the party chose to leave. But grassroots workers are still committed since they joined believing in Sharad Pawar's ideology," he said.

"If everyone within the party remains united, those who left will eventually return. When such individuals decide to return and acknowledge their change of heart, we should not reject them. In politics, numbers hold considerable importance," Patil asserted.

Speaking at the executive meeting of the NCP's city unit here, he said when some frontline leaders leave, then those from the second and third tiers get the opportunity to rise to prominence.

Speaking on the communal violence in Satara over a social media post and the police action on Maratha quota protestors in Jalna, Patil said the law and order situation in Maharashtra was deteriorating under the Eknath Shinde government.

"It needs to be found if these incidents have been orchestrated and it there is an attempt to disturb the social fabric of the state," the Maharashtra NCP chief said.

NCP Pune city president Prashant Jagtap said a roadshow would be organised here for party founder Sharad Pawar.

Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had held a roadshow here that saw a huge turnout.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)