NCP leader Jayant Patil
Credit: PTI
Amid reports of NCP's Jayant Patil meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah triggering speculations that he too would switch over to NDA, the veteran leader and former minister from Maharashtra made it clear that his loyalties are with Sharad Pawar.
61-year-old Patil, the state unit President of Sharad Pawar-Supriya Sule bloc is a seven-time MLA from Sangli and had been a minister in the erstwhile Democratic Front and Maha Vikas Aghadi governments.
Over the past couple of weeks, there has been speculation that Patil could follow suit and join the Ajit Pawar-Praful Patel camp that had led the rebellion against Pawar.
Recently, he had a meeting with Ajit Pawar faction’s NCP state president Sunil Tatkare, the Lok Sabha MP from Raigad.
There were speculations that Patil had a meeting with Amit Shah in a five-star hotel in Pune, where the BJP stalwart was for an official engagement.
However, amid speculations, Patil reiterated that his loyalties are with Pawar. “I am meeting Pawar saheb regularly. Several MLAs and MLCs are in touch with him. Last evening, I was with Pawar saheb. Later, I was with Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, and Sunil Bhausara (NCP MLAs). I met Pawar this morning as well.”
Patil questioned mediapersons about their source of information and asked for evidence.
“You (mediapersons) have started these rumours. Now, you have to end it,” he said.