"Not a single MP or MLA will defect," Sharad Pawar told reporters. | File photo
Sharad Pawar rejects defection rumours, says no NCP (SP) MP will join rival faction
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and MP Supriya Sule rejected claims that five party MPs were set to switch sides, asserting that all eight MPs remain united and committed to the party
Pune, Jun 25 (PTI) NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and the party's working president Supriya Sule on Thursday asserted that no MP from their party would defect to the rival faction.
They were responding to NCP MLA Dharmarao Atram's claim that five of the eight MPs of Sharad Pawar's party were ready to cross over to the Nationalist Congress Party led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar by December. "Not a single MP or MLA will defect," Sharad Pawar told reporters.
Sule, Lok Sabha member from Baramati, said all eight MPs of the NCP (SP) were with the party. "Atram might be knowing more. I do not have any idea. We eight MPs were united yesterday, are united today and will remain united tomorrow. If Baba Atram has a list of five MPs, he should disclose the names," she said.
"If he has a list of five MPs, why is he not poaching me? Why is he sparing me?" she quipped.
Atram's claim came amid six MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT), an ally of Sharad Pawar's party in Maharashtra, crossing over to the ruling Shiv Sena headed by Eknath Shinde. PTI