BJP leaders will soon join NCP in big numbers: Ajit Pawar

Mumbai, Dec 26: Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said said that leaders who had joined BJP will return to NCP in the ensuing three-four months.

"The leaders who joined the BJP thought that they would be heard when the BJP would come to power. Now, they want to leave BJP because their works weren't done. Some leaders from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have wished to return. They will soon be welcomed," Pawar said.

"Someone has said ''mi punha yein'' (I will come back). Unfortunately, it was not possible. Someone said ''mi Parat jaeen'' (I will go back). But who invited you to Pune?" Pawar said.

"However, people of Kothrud have elected you for five years for the development of the constituency. Therefore, you should work for them," the NCP leader said.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had used ''mi punha yein'' refrain during the 2019 poll campaign to convey that he would return as a chief minister for the second term. However, after the poll results, the Shiv Sena joined hands with the NCP and Congress to keep the BJP away from power.

In reply to Pawa's jibe on BJP MLAs joining NCP, BJP Maharashtra chief Chandrakant Patil pointed out to Deputy CM Ajit Pawar that he 'could not hold 28 MLAs for 80 hours'.

"If someone has promised Ajit Pawar to join his party, let him welcome them. Some people have also promised us but we don't talk about it, we do it. Last week, we welcomed a leader who contested polls on NCP symbol and switched to Shiv Sena," said Patil.

"If Ajit sir has such clout why couldn't he retain the 28 MLAs which he'd gotten with himself? If he couldn't keep them, from where will he get the rest of the MLAs," he added.