Mumbai, Jul 15: Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil has dismissed speculation about quitting his post and possible move to the BJP, saying he had neither met any leader of the saffron outfit nor anyone from the ruling coalition party approached him.
The former state minister termed as baseless media reports about his switch over.
Reports in a section of media have also claimed Patil has resigned as the state NCP (SP) president and that his party colleague and MLC Shashikant Shinde will succeed him.
The Nationalist Congress Party (SP), led by former Union minister Sharad Pawar, has convened its general body meeting on Tuesday.
“I have not contacted any leader in the BJP, nor has anyone asked me to join (BJP). I am the state president of a party and I am surprised by such reports,” the NCP (SP) leader told reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan premises here on Monday.
Downplaying speculation around his political moves, Patil said, “Even if someone meets a leader from another party, it leads to all kinds of speculation. I have denied such reports multiple times, but they keep resurfacing. How many times do I have to deny them? These stories are reported repeatedly and never turn out to be true.”
During a discussion in the legislative assembly, the eight-time MLA from Islampur in Sangli district said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on widespread implementation of direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme.
This (DBT) is better than some of the state government’s schemes where utensils are given to needy families. In such cases, many families receive substandard quality material, the opposition legislator said in the House.
Asked by reporters about his praise of the DBT scheme, a flagship initiative of the Modi government, the NCP (SP) leader asserted liking or disliking certain schemes of a government did not mean one was switching sides.
“It is a different matter if I like some of their schemes and do not like others. But the BJP has never communicated with me about any such offer (of switch over). If I meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (a BJP leader) for official work, that does not mean I am joining the party,” he asserted.
Asked if he would take action against media outlets publishing such reports, Patil remarked, “The same media houses also publish positive news about me. I do not want to create unnecessary bitterness with them. If the state president of a party with 10 MLAs is getting so much publicity, I should probably be thankful to them.”
Speaking at the NCP’s 26th foundation day event in Pune on June 10, Patil hinted at stepping down from his post in the presence of party chief Sharad Pawar to make way for a younger face.
Patil, a staunch loyalist of Sharad Pawar, has been with him since the formation of the NCP in 1999. He sided with the Pawar senior after deputy CM Ajit Pawar rebelled in 2023 and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena ruling coalition.(PTI)
