NCP leaders who defected to BJP meet Sharad Pawar, eye homecoming

Some NCP leaders, who joined the BJP ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, have met party chief Sharad Pawar over their possible return to the fold, but no decision has been made on it yet, the ruling partner's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said on Thursday.

Malik, however, did not name any leader who is willing to return to the NCP after defecting to the BJP in run-up to the October 21 Assembly election.

"Some of the leaders who had switched allegiance to the BJP ahead of the election met Pawar Saheb (to discuss their possible return to the party).

"But no decision has been taken yet (on inducting them back into the NCP fold)," Malik said.

 

Among the key NCP leaders who had jumped the ship ahead of the election included Ganesh Naik, MLA Shivendrasinh Bhosale and Vaibhav Pichad, among others.

Amid reports of some BJP MLAs being in touch with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi of the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress, Malik claimed it implies the 'Modi wave' has weakened across the country, while the Amit Shah-led party's strength is also on the wane in Maharashtra.

The BJP has already dismissed the reports.