New Delhi: There is a build-up of suspense in Maharashtra over whether or not senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar will switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While Ajit, who is Sharad Pawar’s nephew, has not flatly denied the news going around, the NCP spokespersons have rubbished the speculation.Adding fuel to the fire, social activist and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Anjali Damania, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, April 12, that Ajit would join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon along with 10 to 15 NCP MLAs.Taking to Twitter, Damania wrote, “Today I went to Mantralaya (state headquarters) for some work. A man stopped by and told me a funny story. According to him, 15 MLAs will be disqualified (by the Supreme Court) and Ajit Pawar will go with BJP and (that) too pretty soon. Let’s see, how much more miserable the politics of Maharashtra is going to become.”आज मंत्रालयात कामानिमित्त गेले होते. तिथे एका व्यक्तीने मला थांबवलं आणि एक गमतीशीर माहिती त्यांनी दिली. त्यांच्या म्हणण्याप्रमाणे, 15 आमदार बाद होणार आहेत, आणि अजित पवार भाजप बरोबर जाणार आहेत…. तेही लवकरचबघू…..आणि किती दुर्दशा होतेय महाराष्ट्राच्या राजकारणाची— Mrs Anjali Damania (@anjali_damania) April 11, 2023It is speculated that Ajit and his cohort will help save the Eknath Shinde government from collapsing in the event of the Supreme Court disqualifying 16 MLAs against whom Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena moved the court. The verdict on the matter is expected soon. In fact, Ajit Pawar had joined hands with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis trying to form a government in 2019 while Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress were holding talks to form a tripartite government. He, however, went back to NCP.Damania’s latest comments have naturally intensified the speculation. To this, Pawar responded by saying that he wouldn’t speak on such comments, without denying the rumours about his future course of action. “Damania is a big person, and it would not be right on my part to speak on her comment,” New Indian Express quoted Ajit as saying.Citing sources in the NCP, the newspaper said there is a section of NCP leaders – including Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare, and Praful Patel –who believe that the party should join hands with the BJP to protect themselves from arrest in relation to various cases.“The BJP has been misusing Central agencies to target their opponents. Leaders are threatened to either join the BJP or face arrest and perish behind bars. Some opposition leaders are succumbing to the BJP’s pressure tactic. But as long as NCP chief Sharad Pawar is in command over his party and the family, things are unlikely to take that shape,” a senior NCP leader told the newspaper.NCP’s chief spokesperson, Mahesh Tapase, however, rubbished the speculation, describing it as a “conspiracy against Ajit”. He accused Damania of being in cahoots with the BJP to tarnish the image of Ajit.“It shows that there is a conspiracy against Ajit. This has been done to weaken the Maha Vikas Aghadi,” Tapase said.Shiv Sena (Uddah Bal Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut also echoed the views of Tapase, stating that Ajit will not join the BJP. “Ajit Pawar is a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress party. I don’t think he will do such things and go with them (BJP). Ajit Pawar’s political future is bright with NCP. So there is nothing to worry about. He will not join them and not become a slave of the BJP. We have full faith in NCP leader Ajit Pawar,” Raut said.Disunity in Maha Vikas Aghadi Alliance?The speculation over Ajit’s saffron switchover comes at a time when differences among constituent parties of the tripartite opposition alliance of Maha Vikas Aghadi have come out in the open. The Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress are part of the alliance.Recently, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena warned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not to speak against Hindutva leader V.D. Savarkar, stating that it would pose a threat to the alliance. More than once has the former Congress president launched fierce criticism against Savarkar whom the BJP, as well as Shiv Sena, consider a national hero.On the other hand, NCP chief, Sharad Pawar, also implicitly told Rahul Gandhi not to single out one businessman, referring to his fierce criticism of Gautam Adani.Uddhav Thackeray’s and Sharad Pawar’s comments have raised speculation in Maharashtra that the MVA alliance is on the brink of collapse.This apart, NCP has, on more than one occasion, criticised the blunt talk of Maharashtra Congress unit president, Nana Patole. Patole’s comments have often embarrassed the MVA. Ajit Pawar recently advised Patole not to take “every small issue of Maha Vikas Aghadi” to the media, and that he should first try to resolve it with alliance partners.Amidst such happenings, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP leaders held discussions at Sharad Pawar’s residence on Tuesday, April 12, where Congress was conspicuous by its absence. While the BJP said the opposition in the state is “divided”, MVA parties, however, said that they are all united.Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) said that the BJP is trying to “mislead” people. “There is no difference of opinion between us. If somebody is spreading this misperception, then they are trying to mislead. A number of issues pertaining to political developments were discussed at the meeting. The future course of the MVA’s direction was discussed. We particularly talked about how the BJP was blackmailing the opposition,” The Hindu quoted Raut as saying.Patole of the Congress party reacted along the same lines. “There is no need to read anything deep in it [Thackeray-Pawar meeting]…the BJP cannot stomach the MVA’s successes and hence is deliberately trying to mislead people by creating the perception of a divided Opposition,” the Congress Maharashtra chief said.