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Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the party would have to act firmly if anyone is strategising to break it, the comments coming against the backdrop of a buzz about his nephew Ajit Pawar's next political move.
Notably, amid rumours that he is cosying up with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, 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 post of the CM 'now also' instead of waiting for 2024 when assembly polls are due in the state.
"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)," Sharad Pawar said without elaborating.
He was responding to a question on rumoured attempts to break away Ajit Pawar from NCP in the event of 16 MLAs of Shiv Sena, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are disqualified by the Supreme Court.
In his weekly column in Saamana last Sunday, Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray 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 NCP, it is individual issue, but as a party, we will never go with the BJP,' Raut had quoted the Pawar senior as saying.
Ajit Pawar had denied speculation that he and a group of MLAs loyal to him might align with the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party and said he would be with NCP till he is alive.