Civic polls: NCP contesting on its own due to too many ticket aspirants, says Bawankule

Pune, Dec 18 (PTI) Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday said his party and the Shiv Sena had formed an alliance for the upcoming municipal elections in the state.

He, however, said there were a large number of aspirants from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and it had become difficult to accommodate everyone within the alliance, and, hence, that party was contesting on its own.

The BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the NCP are part of the ruling Mahayuti.

"However, there will be no differences among Mahayuti constituents. Alliance partners will not criticise each other," Bawankule asserted.

Asked about speculation that NCP may join hands with Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) for civic polls in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, Bawankule said they were free to form an alliance.

But the minister asserted the NCP (SP) would not be part of the power-sharing structure within the Mahayuti after the elections.

Reacting to recent remarks by Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on the Epstein files and Operation Sindoor, Bawankule said these reflected a "distorted mindset".

Chavan had claimed that India could get a new prime minister soon and had linked it to the release of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the USA on December 19.

The former Maharashtra chief minister had also said India faced "total defeat" in aerial fight with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor on May 7.

Commenting on Pradnya Satav, wife of late Congress leader Rajiv Satav, joining the BJP, Bawankule said discontent within the Congress was growing.

"If leaders in the opposition are capable, the BJP inducts such leaders," Bawankule said. PTI SPK BNM