Leaders realise their futures, national interest served better by joining hands with BJP: CP Joshi

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 2 : Wading into the split in the NCP triggered by Ajit Pawar, who pledged allegiance to the BJP-led NDA and took as the deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra, Rajasthan BJP president C Joshi on Sunday claimed that leaders and parties have come to realise that their futures and the "national interest" would be served well by joining hands with the BJP and not opposing them.

Amid the racy political developments in Maharastra, Joshi said, "No one belonging to a particular political party can be lured into another. This can only happen when a leader loses faith in his party and its leadership. This is why they have chosen to go with the BJP. Here (BJP), they will find strong leadership and the national interest and their futures would also be safeguarded."

On attempts to bring the Opposition parties under a rainbow alliance, with an eye on next year's Lok Sabha elections, Joshi said, "Those who used to call each other thieves are sitting together today. Their alliance is mismatched. What is the compulsion that is making them sit together? These are parties that never saw eye-to-eye in the past. They know that the ground beneath their feet is shifting."

Speaking on the seismic political events in Maharashtra, earlier on Sunday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the 'double-engine government' in the state has now become "triple-engine and it will run like a bullet train".

Speaking to media persons, CM Shinde said, "Now we have one chief minister and two deputy chief ministers. The double-engine government has now become triple engine and will now run like a bullet train. In the interest of the development of Maharashtra, I welcome Ajit Pawar and his fellow (NCP) MLAs to our government. His experience and leadership will help strengthen Maharashtra."

On the allocation of portfolios in the cabinet, CM Shinde said there was enough time to hold deliberations on it. "There is enough time to discuss the reshuffle in the cabinet. We have come together to develop Maharashtra. They (the opposition) got 4-5 seats in the last Lok Sabha elections. This time, they won't even get that much," CM Shinde said.

According to sources, Ajit Pawar has the backing of more than 40 MLAs and more than 6 MLCs.