Not in touch with Ajit Pawar, never contacted him: Maharashtra BJP chief

The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP never contacted NCP leader Ajit Pawar and certain imaginary news is being spread state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed on MondayHe said in fact the junior Pawar is being targeted by Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA which includes Shiv Sena UBT Nationalist Congress Party and CongressSpeaking to reporters in Pune on the sidelines of a conclave of BJPs incharges of poll booths Bawankule claimed Sharad Pawars decision to resign as NCP chief and subsequent Uturn was nothing but a nautanki drama He said the entire resignation episode was scriptedNeither I nor Ajit Pawar have been in contact with each other for the last four months In fact the junior Pawar is being targeted by MVA We BJP never contacted Ajitdada and imaginary news is being circulated he saidIntense speculation about Ajit Pawars future political steps started doing rounds last month after Sharad Pawar reportedly told Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray that NCP will never join hands with the BJP even if anyone takes an individual decision to do soOn his part Ajit Pawar had scotched such speculation and said he would remain in NCP till he livesQueried about the churn caused by Sharad Pawars announcement to step down as NCP president and subsequent withdrawal of that decision Bawankule said the developments in NCP over three days were a script and everyone knew about itI strongly believe so though some people may differ But the pertinent question is how will a big leader like Sharad Pawar who became president of several cooperative bodies including Rayat Shikshan Sanstha by altering their constitutions can allow anyone to become the president of the party founded by him the BJP leader questionedBawankule said he knew about the recent game in the NCP This episode was nothing but a vagnatya folk drama I knew they wanted to do nautanki for three days which they didAlso Read Will work out common minimum program to bring Opposition together Sharad PawarWhen asked if NCP is playing as a B team of BJP in Karnataka polls by fielding at least 40 candidates Bawankule said such an assumption was not trueThe BJP does not need the help of NCP The BJP is present at the grassroots in Karnataka The way Prime Minister Modiji is reaching out to people there we are sure to win more than 105 seats and form a government again he saidSome opposition parties had alleged that BJP leaders from Maharashtra are campaigning against Marathispeaking people in Karnataka a state which has a longstanding border dispute with MaharashtraWhen asked about these allegations Bawankule said there is no compromise when it comes to the BJPs poll symbol lotus and the party ideologyLotus is our ideology and every leader and worker works for the party under our poll symbol he said and added that the BJP has not deviated from its stand and is committed to resolving issues of Marathispeaking people living in KarnatakaHe evaded a direct reply when asked if BJP has prepared plan B anticipating the Supreme Courts ruling on the dispute between Shiv Sena UBT and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath ShindeThere is no place for ifs and buts in life Let the decision come If the opposition demands to prove the majority tomorrow the Shindeled government of which BJP is a part will win the majority with more than 184 votes in the 288member House Bawankule claimedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever