No alliance with Ajit's NCP says Jayant Patil; cites Lok Sabha poll wins of Sharad Pawar faction

Jalna: There is no question of an alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, said NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil here on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Patil said the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) got tremendous support from the people in the recent Lok Sabha polls, leading to victories on eight of the 10 seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

The NCP of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar managed to win only from Raigad, while it lost prestige battles in Baramati and Shirur.

"The NCP has split into two parties. Both have their own symbols. There is no question of any alliance between the two," Patil asserted.

Asked about his party colleague and former state home minister Anil Deshmukh's allegations against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Patil said the senior BJP leader must not indulge in such kind of politics.

Deshmukh had alleged Fadnavis tried to pressure him into signing false affidavits against Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Anil Parab as well as (undivided) NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

Patil lashed out at the Eknath Shinde government for delay in giving quota to the Maratha community.

He, however, refused to reply when asked about his party's stand on the demand to give quota to the Marathas under the Other Backward Classes segment.

Patil also said the Shinde government had failed to get benefits for Maharashtra in the Union budget, which was tabled in Parliament on July 23.

"Leaders of Maharashtra's ruling alliance lacked influence over the Union government and did not stand up against injustice in distribution of funds. States like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar successfully pressured the Centre to secure more funds. They blackmailed the Centre and got more funds for their states," Patil claimed.

Speaking about the state assembly polls, likely to be held in October, the NCP (SP) leader said the MVA, which also includes the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, will get 170 seats in the 288-member House.