Jayant Patil says he met CM to discuss constituency issue, 'no talks going on about joining NDA'

Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Wednesday said he met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis only to discuss an issue in his constituency, and asserted that there was no discussion in the Sharad Pawar-led party about joining the NDA. Patil's late-night meeting with Fadnavis on Tuesday fueled speculation that the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) might join the ruling National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP. Talking to reporters, Patil also said the talks about a possible merger of the NCP (SP) with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP ended after Ajit Pawar's death in an air crash in January this year. "There are no discussions going on in our party about joining the NDA. I met the chief minister only to raise the issue of the Islampur municipal council president, whose election has been declared invalid. (Deputy Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde was in Delhi, so I sought time from the chief minister. The meeting lasted barely five to ten minutes and there was no political discussion," Patil added. He also denied reports that he met Praful Patel or Sunil Tatkare of the rival NCP during his visit to the CM's residence. "I have never met Praful Patel or Sunil Tatkare regarding any such issue. Reports suggesting we met to discuss a merger are completely false," he said. Ajit Pawar strongly wanted the two NCPs to reunite and had discussed the issue with him several times, said Patil. "After his death, there has been no progress and no discussions with anyone. The issue is over," he said. Asked whether the NCP (SP) could support the NDA on the proposed delimitation bill or the One Nation One Election legislation, Patil said such decisions would be taken by the party's parliamentary wing led by Supriya Sule. "Our leader Supriya Sule will decide the party's stand after consulting our MPs in Delhi. As an MLA, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on parliamentary strategy," he said. Patil, however, said he personally felt that increasing the number of MPs and MLAs through delimitation would substantially increase administrative expenditure. "If the administration is made more efficient, there may not be any need to increase the number of legislators. But that is only my personal opinion," he said. On reports of differences within the rival NCP over recent organisational appointments, Patil said he would not comment on the internal matters of another party. PTI MR KRK