<p>Mumbai: A day after Ajit Pawar met his mentor and uncle Sharad Pawar in New Delhi in what was an attempt to mend fences, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut claimed that the NCP President was trying to poach the MP of NCP (SP).</p><p>In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) won eight of the 10 seats it contested while Ajit Pawar’s NCP managed to win just one seat from the four places it fielded candidates. </p><p>In Baramati, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar, who won the seat for the fourth time. </p>.<p>However, in the Vidhan Sabha polls, NCP (SP) won just 10 seats of the 86 it contested while Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats of the 59 where it fielded candidates. Ajit Pawar himself won the Baramati seat for the eighth time defeating his nephew Yugendra Pawar.</p><p>Raut’s comments came a day after Sharad Pawar’s 84th birthday when Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, party’s Working President Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare and senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal called on him.</p><p>“Ajit Pawar is trying to rope in at least five to six MPs of Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar has been told that if he wants any of his leaders to be accommodated in the central ministry, he will have to break Sharad Pawar,” Raut alleged hinting at Operation Lotus from the BJP.</p><p>"Sharad Pawar is a secular leader. He will never join hands with a party that seeks to divide the people of this country in the name of religion,” added Raut.</p><p>BJP MLC Prasad Lad said that Raut is spreading lies. “The BJP is strong in the Centre and State,” he said, ruling out any such move or need for additional MPs.</p>
<p>Mumbai: A day after Ajit Pawar met his mentor and uncle Sharad Pawar in New Delhi in what was an attempt to mend fences, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut claimed that the NCP President was trying to poach the MP of NCP (SP).</p><p>In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) won eight of the 10 seats it contested while Ajit Pawar’s NCP managed to win just one seat from the four places it fielded candidates. </p><p>In Baramati, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar, who won the seat for the fourth time. </p>.<p>However, in the Vidhan Sabha polls, NCP (SP) won just 10 seats of the 86 it contested while Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats of the 59 where it fielded candidates. Ajit Pawar himself won the Baramati seat for the eighth time defeating his nephew Yugendra Pawar.</p><p>Raut’s comments came a day after Sharad Pawar’s 84th birthday when Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, party’s Working President Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare and senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal called on him.</p><p>“Ajit Pawar is trying to rope in at least five to six MPs of Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar has been told that if he wants any of his leaders to be accommodated in the central ministry, he will have to break Sharad Pawar,” Raut alleged hinting at Operation Lotus from the BJP.</p><p>"Sharad Pawar is a secular leader. He will never join hands with a party that seeks to divide the people of this country in the name of religion,” added Raut.</p><p>BJP MLC Prasad Lad said that Raut is spreading lies. “The BJP is strong in the Centre and State,” he said, ruling out any such move or need for additional MPs.</p>