Praful Patel denies reports of NCP joining Modi govt

Mumbai: Though NCP senior leader Praful Patel has denied reports of his party joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, highly placed sources from NCP and BJP confirmed to The Asian Age that there were talks between both parties about possible alignment which failed.

The sources informed that the main point over which the possible alliance got stalled was the power sharing formula in Maharashtra. The relationship between both parties is now back to square one.

There was buzz on Monday that Sharad Pawar-led NCP would join the PM Modi government in the upcoming reshuffle of the union cabinet. Reports went so far as to say that Pawar himself would join the union cabinet and would get a senior ministry.

Come evening however and Pawar’s trusted aide, Patel, took to micro blogging site Twitter to deny all such claims. “There is no basis for speculation that NCP is joining the government in Delhi," he tweeted.

Sources from the BJP and NCP though confirmed to this newspaper that “Serious talks had been on between both parties for quite some time”. A senior functionary on condition of anonymity said, “NCP was demanding key ministries in Maharashtra to be a part of NDA. But BJP was not ready to give more in the state. This became the biggest hurdle in the possible union.”

Both parties denied having had talks for a possible union. NCP Maharashtra chief Sunil Tatkare said, “These are mere speculations. We will not join hands with the BJP. It is our stated position.” Whereas BJP state chief Raosaheb Danve said, “As of now, there is no such proposal before the party.”

Interestingly, NCP had extended unconditional support to BJP in 2014 just after the assembly elections, when the latter was in need of MLA support to reach the magic figure in Maharashtra.

Later however, BJP joined hands with Shiv Sena. But rumours of the bonhomie between BJP and NCP have never really died down.