After disclosing that the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP were close to forming a coalition in 2017, Ajit Pawar takes a shot at Ashish Shelar

BJP legislator Ashish Shelar was chastised by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday for claiming that a three-party coalition government between the BJP, the Shiv Sena, and the NCP was almost planned in 2017 but could not be realised due to the NCP's objection to the Shiv Sena's participation. "It should have been revealed by Ashish Shelar in 2017." After his weekly Janata Darbar at the party office, a visibly irritated Pawar asked reporters, "Why did he stop for five years?"

 

After splitting from its 25-year ally BJP, the Shiv Sena formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi administration with the NCP and Congress in November 2019. Following Pawar's remarks, state Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant took to Twitter to retweet a tweet from former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who said in September 2014 that the BJP would never ally with the NCP because the BJP had exposed the NCP in the state assembly while others remained silent.

 

"BJP member Ashish Shelar has criticised Fadnavis for making such a statement (a coalition of BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena). Shelar is so warning the public not to trust the party's leader's words. 'If the BJP does not act quickly against Shelar, it will demonstrate that state BJP head Chandrakant Patil shares Shelar's viewpoint," Sawant remarked.

 

Sudhir Mungantiwar, a former finance minister, said, "It was our (BJP) mistake not to ally with the NCP without the Shiv Sena." We are paying the price." In 2014, the NCP's unseen hand supported the BJP. The BJP, however, partnered with the Shiv Sena to create the administration.

 

The formation of a government with the NCP was also discussed. However, we did not want to break away from the Shiv Sena and form a government with the NCP. As a result, what Ashish Shelar claimed is correct. But we made a mistake by not allying with the NCP, and now we're paying the price," he said.

 

 

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