Akole NCP MLA likely to join Ajit faction, again

Nashik: Kiran Lahamate, the NCP MLA from Akole in Ahmednagar, is likely to again join the party faction led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.Lahamate was present at Raj Bhavan when nine NCP MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, took oath as ministers in the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) government on July 2. He later changed his decision “following pressure from a section of the voters of his constituency” and attended the NCP meeting convened by party patriarch Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on July 5. Now, he has again decided to be with the party’s Ajit Pawar faction“He (Lahamate) had met Ajit Pawar a couple of days ago in Mumbai. He has decided to be with Ajit Pawar since he needs government support for development in the constituency he represents in the Assembly,” an NCP source said.The Akole MLA did not respond to several calls made to him for his comment on the issue. Text messages sent to him remain unanswered till the time of going to press.Lahamate would be the third MLA from Ahmednagar to desert Sharad Pawar and side with the junior Pawar. The party MLAs from Ahmednagar city and Parner constituencies, Sangram Jagtap and Nilesh Lanke, respectively, are currently with the NCP group led by Ajit Pawar. Of the remaining three NCP MLAs in the district, Rohit Pawar and Prajakt Tanpure are with the NCP camp led by Sharad Pawar. The third NCP legislator, Ashutosh Kale, is abroad and is yet to spell out his stand.Ahmednagar NCP president Rajendra Phalke, who has not deserted Sharad Pawar, said, “Lahamate has decided to return to the NCP’s Ajit Pawar group. We had tried to impress upon Lahamate to remain with ‘Pawar Sahab’, but in vain. He has made up his mind.”