Will take firm stand if anyone tries to break NCP: Sharad Pawar

The Nationalist Congress Party would have to act firmly if anyone attempts to break the party, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said against the backdrop of a buzz about his nephew Ajit Pawar's next political move.

Amid rumours that he is cosying up with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ajit Pawar on Friday said he would "100 per cent like to be the chief minister" of Maharashtra and that the NCP can stake a claim to the CM's post now also instead of waiting for 2024, when the Assembly polls are due in the state.

Sharad Pawar on Sunday said, "Tomorrow if anyone is attempting to break the party (NCP) then it is their strategy. If we have to take any stand, then we have to do it firmly."

"It is improper to talk about this today because we have not discussed this (issue)," the NCP chief said without elaborating.

He was responding to a question on rumoured attempts to break away Ajit Pawar from the NCP if 16 MLAs of the Shiv Sena, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are disqualified by the Supreme Court.

In his weekly column in Marathi daily 'Saamana' on April 16, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed Sharad Pawar had told Uddhav Thackeray during their meeting that nobody wants to switch over but his (Pawar's) family is being targeted.

If anyone takes a personal decision to leave the NCP, it is an individual issue, but as a party "we will never go with the BJP," Raut had quoted Pawar senior as saying.

Notably, Ajit Pawar has denied speculation that he and a group of MLAs loyal to him might align with the BJP and said he would be with the NCP till he is alive.