Pune: Former MLA and senior NCP politician Vilas Lande , who had shared stage with party chief Ajit Pawar during the Lok Sabha campaigning, on Tuesday said he had secretly worked for NCP (SCP)'s Shirur candidate Amol Kolhe . Lande made the revelation after meeting Sharad Pawar at his residence in Pune on Tuesday evening. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Lande said he had informed Ajit Pawar about his decision to campaign for the rival candidate (Kolhe), despite NCP fielding Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil as Mahayuti pick from the seat.
Kolhe had won the election from Shirur. The NCP politician said he would campaign for NCP (SCP) candidates in Pimpri Chinchwad and other constituencies in Pune rural in the assembly election too. Asked if he had officially joined NCP (SCP), Lande said, "I was with Sharad Pawar and his party for a long time.
I even campaigned for the party candidate for Shirur, Amol Kolhe, during the Lok Sabha election. Hence, I am with Sharad Pawar." Political observers said Lande was unhappy with Ajit Pawar-led NCP after he was denied a ticket in the Lok Sabha election.
"Ajit Pawar contributed a lot to the development of Pimpri Chinchwad, but I did not agree with his decision regarding the selection of the candidate for the Shirur Lok Sabha constituency," he said, adding that his decision to campaign for MVA candidates for the assembly election would not impact his personal relations with the party chief. In July, over 25 NCP functionaries, including several.