Is Jayant Patil heading towards NDA?

Mumbai: Amid an inflow of senior politicians to the NDA camp, there are reports that a senior politician from Maharashtra could join the BJP.

Amid reports that Jayant Patil, who is a close aide of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, who now heads NCP (SP) and the Maharashtra unit head of his political outfit, could join BJP, there have been denials from both sides.

When Ajit Pawar switched over to the BJP-led NDA camp and subsequently successfully claimed the party name NCP and the traditional clock symbol, Patil preferred to stay away with the senior Pawar.

Patil (62) hails from Sangli district and is a seven-time MLA - 1990, 1995, 1999 and 2004 from Walva and 2009, 2014 and 2019 from Islampur - and had been a minister in the Congress-NCP Democratic Front government and the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation handling portfolios like finance and home.

Asked about the possible entry of Patil in BJP, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said: “Patil is a senior leader. I don't know who he is in touch with in the BJP, but I am not in touch with him. A lot of people are keen to work under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi and we would welcome them ... we have space and we would accept them.”

Pawar’s daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, when asked about it, said: “…yes there are such discussion (about joining BJP)….including about me, (Karjat Jamkhed MLA) Rohit Pawar, (Katol MLA and former home minister) Anil Deshmukh, (Mumbra-Kalwa MLA and group leader) Jitendra Awhad and Jayant Patil….this means we have good credentials.”

Asked about the reports, Patil said: “I don’t have any offer and I am not going anywhere.”