NCP MLA from Wai constituency joins Ajit Pawar camp

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Wai constituency in Maharashtra's Satara district, Makarand Patil, said he has joined the camp led by senior party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Patil said he decided to join the Ajit Pawar camp to save two sugar factories in his constituency which are in financial crisis and in the hope of bringing development and resolving tourism-related issues in Wai.

Notably, Patil was present during Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar's visit to Karad city, a day after Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government. MLA claimed his name had figured in the list of nine ministers of NCP, including Ajit Pawar who took oath last Sunday.

But I told Ajit Pawar that I would have to consult my supporters and people from the constituency before taking any decision, he told PTI. Several workers and supporters of Patil from Satara district met Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Saturday.

In the video of the meeting, an NCP functionary from the Wai constituency is seen demanding a Cabinet berth for Patil. The MLA said it was a very difficult call to take as both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar are dear to him.

It was a tough decision. Recently, I took over two sugar factories that were in a financial crisis. Just because of people's insistence, I contested the elections to these factories. I could handle the last year's (sugarcane crushing) season without any problem, he said.