Mahayuti 'saved' in LS polls due to Ajit Pawar's timely entry: NCP

Mumbai, Jun 20 (PTI) The NCP on Thursday claimed Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti alliance was "saved" in the Lok Sabha polls because of the "timely" entry of party leader Ajit Pawar.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Amol Mitkari wondered why attempts were being made by the BJP and Shiv Sena leaders to create a "discord" in the alliance.

He was referring to Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam's claim made at a function on Wednesday that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar made a "backdoor entry" into the ruling alliance.

The Mahayuti won 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP won 9 seats, Shiv Sena 7 and NCP 1.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar, bagged 30 seats.

Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP state government in July last year along with many other MLAs, leading to a split in the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar.

Kadam on Wednesday claimed Ajit Pawar made a "backdoor entry" into the ruling alliance.

"It would have been okay if he hadn't come for some days," the Shiv Sena leader said.

Reacting to the comments, Mitkari claimed, "You were saved because of the timely entry of Ajit Pawar, else you would have to go to the Himalayas." PTI MR GK