Senior NCP leader Praful Patel including 7 MLAs have joined Shinde-led Maharashtra government.
A day after Ajit Pawar's coup in Maharashtra that has left political circles in shock, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president Praful Patel quashed rumours of him going to Delhi for the central ministerial post after joining the Maharashtra government.
Praful Patel said Monday that the party hasn't discussed anything about Delhi but is focusing on the state government.
"We have not discussed anything about Delhi, we have only discussed the formation of our government in Maharashtra," Patel told.
However, recently he clarified that there is no pressure to join the Shinde government in Maharashtra, "There is no pressure from anyone."
NCP working president Praful Patel commented on party chief Sharad Pawar's statement indicating that the NCP split due to indirect pressure from the Enforcement Directorate.
Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar ordered the removal of the names of Sunil Tatkare and NCP working president Praful Patel from the Register of Members of the NCP Party for "anti-party activities".
"I, as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, hereby order the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the Register of Members of the NCP Party for anti-party activities," Sharad Pawar tweeted.
Amid all this, Ajit Pawar faction leaders and MLAs are very confident about the collective decision to join the Shinde-led and Fadnavis government... However, NCP MLC Amol Mitkari says, "I am here since yesterday; several MLAs are coming to meet us. Those 35 MLAs who supported Ajit Pawar yesterday are with Ajit Dada even today. There are more leaders who are joining us."
Maharashtra politics will be interesting to watch in the coming days, as NCP chief Sharad Pawar has called a meeting on July 5 in Mumbai in which all MPs and MLAs are asked to remain present. Ajit Pawar has also called a meeting on the same day at another venue, and he has also called all NCP leaders, including all MLAs, and MLCs. The interesting thing is what Ajit Pawar and his supporting MLAs will do.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)