India News | Congress, NCP Talk of Homecoming of Leaders Who Joined BJP
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Some Maharashtra Congress leaders who had joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 Assembly election may return to the party fold, state minister Ashok Chavan said on Monday.
Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) Some Maharashtra Congress leaders who had joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 Assembly election may return to the party fold, state minister Ashok Chavan said on Monday.
Congress ally, the NCP, also claimed its former MLAs, who ahead of the polls switched over to the BJP, then in power in the state, were keen to rejoin the party.
Chavan, a senior Congressman, however, did not name leaders desirous of returning to the party, saying it is not right to name them at this juncture.
The Congress and the NCP are part of the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition in the state.
The former Maharashtra chief minister made the remark while replying to a question about the NCP claiming that some of its erstwhile leaders, who had joined the BJP, were "eager" to return to the Sharad Pawar-led party.
Speaking to reporters here, Chavan said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is stable, will complete its five-year tenure and has a future.
So, it is natural for the Congress-turned-BJP leaders to think about returning to their original party, he added.
Like some people may switch to the NCP from the BJP. Similarly, some people may return to the Congress, too, from the BJP. It is not right to name these people this soon, PWD Minister Chavan said.
He added that there is nothing wrong if leaders are willing to return to the Congress from the BJP.
Some erstwhile Congressmen, who joined the BJP ahead of the elections last year, think they will have opportunity if they return to the Congress, Chavan added.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra minister and NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said some people are spreading rumours that 12 legislators of the party will defect to the BJP.
The NCPs national spokesperson, however, did not specify the report claiming possible defection of the partys MLAs to the BJP.
Some people are spreading rumours that 12 NCP MLAs will join the BJP. This report is baseless and afigment of imagination," Malik tweeted.
Rather, NCP MLAs who had joined the BJP ahead of the election (in 2019) are eager to return to the partys (NCPs) fold. But no decision has been made on this.
"Soon, a decision will be made and the details will be made public, Malik tweeted.
Meanwhile, Chavan -- who heads the cabinet sub- committee on Maratha reservation -- alleged a "big political conspiracy" is being hatched to see Maratha quota does not remain intact.
The Congress leader said protests by some organisations over reservation issues were "BJP-sponsored".
The minister, however, said that the MVA government is well prepared to put forth its side on the quota issue before the Supreme Court and reiterated it is being represented by some top lawyers.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)