'NCP had decided to contest 2009 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with Shiv Sena'

Nationalist Congress Party NCP Ajit Pawar group leader Sunil Tatkare on Tuesday claimed that the party had decided to contest the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Shiv Sena but it did not happen for some reasons reported news agency PTITatkare who heads the Maharashtra unit of the Ajit Pawarled faction of the Nationalist Congress Party was speaking at a gathering of party workers reported PTIWe all NCP leaders were called for a meeting in 2009 where a plan to contest the 2009 Lok Sabha elections with the Shiv Sena was discussed We had almost finalized the decision But due to some reason it could not happen he saidBoth the Shiv Sena and NCP split in the last two years and their respective rebel factions are now part of the Maharashtra government along with the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP reported PTIIn 2014 we had supported the BJP after assembly elections and it is not the first time that Ajit Pawar is supporting the BJP Such situations have unfolded many times in the pastwhat I mean to say is what Ajit Pawar did joining hands with the BJP and Eknath Shindeled Sena was the right thing to do Tatkare addedPeople who fear their own shadow are saying we went with the BJP fearing action by central agencies he saidTatkare also claimed that the Ajit Pawarled NCP was at number two position in the gram panchayat elections results reported PTIHe appealed party workers to work for bringing the NDA led by prime minister Narendra Modi and the Mahayuti government back to power at the Centre and in Maharashtra reported PTIEarlier Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule and NCP MP from Ajit Pawar group Sunil Tatkare have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking to expedite the disqualification proceedings against each other reported PTISule said on Friday that she had filed a disqualification petition on July 4 seeking Tatkares disqualification as MP as per the 10th Schedule of the Constitution reported PTIIt has been four months but no action has been taken on this issue Sule said in a statement She pointed out that the Supreme Court has directed timely resolution of such petitions to uphold the Constitution and democratic principles reported PTII request no further delay in adjudicating the petition said Sule in the letter to BirlaThe Speakers office is yet to issue notice to Tatkare she said reported PTITatkares joining hands with the BJP government constitute a brazen attack on the 10th Schedule Sule said reported PTITatkare also said he has filed a similar plea with the Lok Sabha Speaker asking him to take action against SuleWe have filed disqualification petitions and demand that a decision should be taken at the earliest Tatkare saidTatkare said he has filed disqualifications petition against Sule Satara Lok Sabha member Shrinivas Patil and Lakshadweep Lok Sabha member Mohammad Fazal and also Rajya Sabha members Fauzia Khan and Vandana ChavanOn July 2 a group within the NCP led by Ajit Pawar rebelled against NCP chief Sharad Pawar to join hands with the BJP staking claim on the party name and symbolWith inputs from PTI