lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Mar 04, 2019 14:33 IST

As the confusion between Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency continues, Ajit Pawar, senior NCP leader on Sunday said the seat will remain with the NCP.

Pawar was speaking to media persons at an event in Pune.

Sharad Pawar, NCP chief, was reported to have said on Friday that his party was willing to give up the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat to the Congress, raising hope in the Vikhe Patil family of the entry of its third generation in electoral politics. Congress member and leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil’s son Sujay is keen to contest Lok Sabha polls from Ahmednagar seat, which as per seat-sharing quota is with the NCP.

Within hours, the NCP clarified that Sharad Pawar had made no such statement. Jayant Patil, Maharashtra NCP chief said the party had not given up on the Ahmednagar seat and no decision has been taken so far.

Appealing to the media to not create confusion, Ajit Pawar said, “Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat was with the Nationalist Congress Party in the past and will remain so in the future as well.” He further added that he has personally spoken to Jayant Patil and Sharad Pawar and has made it clear that the Ahmednangar seat will remain with the NCP.

On being asked about the talks among the Congress and NCP to exchange the Ahmednagar seat for Pune, Ajit Pawar said there was no truth in it.

Sujay Vikhe Patil, a doctor by profession, has already made it clear that he will contest polls from Ahmednagar seat even if he has to change his party. The Ahmednagar district has two constituencies - Ahmednagar, and Shirdi, which is a reserved constituency.

Meanwhile Congress leaders from Sangli have opposed any attempts to give up its claim over Sangli Lok Sabha seat with alliance partners NCP or with Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana in absence of any strong candidate in the party. The party is finding it difficult to find a strong candidate to field against Sanjay Patil, sitting Member of Parliament (MP) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress leaders from the district passed a resolution last week saying that the party will fight the election with all its might.