Key Points
Hour-long meeting sparked rumors about Patil possibly leaving Sharad Pawar's camp
Both leaders claim discussion focused only on constituency matters
NCP-SP won only 10 of 87 contested seats in Assembly elections
Some party workers have urged Pawar to replace Patil as state unit chief
An hour-long meeting between the two took place on Monday night against the backdrop of media reports about Patil's silence after the party's drubbing and possibility of his calling it a day with the Pawar camp to join the BJP.
Incidentally, Water Resources Minister (Godavari and Krishna Valley Development Corporations) Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (BJP) was also present during the meeting.
Patil, however, clarified that there was nothing political about his meeting with Bawankule, saying that it was with regard to issues relating to his Islampur Assembly constituency.
"I met Bawankule for some work related to the Revenue department from my constituency. We discussed various issues in this regard," he said.
Similarly, Bawankule also made it clear that Patil met him for personal work.
The NCP-SP State President has repeatedly said that he would not leave Sharad Pawar but remain with him.
After Ajit Pawar walked out of NCP to join the MahaYuti government in July 2023, Jayant Patil did not go but decided to remain with Sharad Pawar. He continued to head the party in its new avatar NCP-SP and toured during the Lok Sabha elections in which the party won eight after contesting 10 seats.
Thereafter, Patil carried out Shivswarajya Yatra ahead of the state Assembly elections last year.
He also travelled extensively during the state Assembly elections for campaigning of party nominees.
NCP-SP managed to win only 10 seats after contesting 87 seats in the Maha Vikas Aghadi during the Assembly election.
After party's dismal performance in the state Assembly election, Pawar and Patil met the elected legislators and MPs and also those who lost the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
During that meeting a section of the party workers urged Pawar to replace Patil and appoint new state unit chief.
Some of them also demanded that the new state executive should be appointed and the chiefs of frontal organisations should be replaced ahead of the upcoming local and civic body polls. Despite Pawar's assurance for the organisational rejig, Patil continues to head the state unit.
