Shiv Sena leader Rahul Narvekar joins NCP

Mumbai – A day is a long time in politics. Ask Rahul Narvekar. Last week, Narvekar , the Shiv Sena spokesperson and the party’s suave face who was contesting the Legislative Council polls in Maharashtra, abruptly withdrew his name from the race.

Sena leaders claimed that Narvekar’s withdrawal was unilateral and even party president Uddhav Thackeray was unaware . There was speculation that the Sena spokesperson would join the NCP as immediately after withdrawing from the Legislative Council polls, he had a meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Narvekar on Monday officially joined the NCP and, what’s more, he is now the party’s candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from Maval constituency near Pune.

So within a span of five days, Narvekar has gone to being a candidate who was desperately trying to get into the Legislative Council to now becoming a potential MP.

Narvekar on Monday was flanked by deputy CM Ajit Pawar when he announced that he was going to be the candidate for the Maval constituency. Curiously, he said that he did not withdraw from the Council elections on his own but was asked to do so.

“I did not withdraw on my own but was asked to withdraw on the orders of Uddhav Thackeray.” He claimed that he was ‘hurt’ that the party leadership did not clarify on the issue in spite of reports which said that he had resigned keeping the party in the dark.

He also added that certain Sena leaders were working against him in order to ensure his defeat during the elections and hence he took ‘the painful step’ of quitting the party.

Sena leaders, however, claimed that the party had not given any such instruction and that Narvekar’s father in law, senior NCP leader Ram Raje Naik Nimbalkar, was instrumental in getting Narvekar in the NCP and getting him a ticket from Maval.