"Ajit Pawar has lost his utility to BJP": Rohit Pawar as Praful Patel turns down MoS offer

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 9 (ANI): Amid the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party declining the offer of Minister of State (Independent charge) to NCP leader Praful Patel, Rohit Pawar who is from the NCP's Sharadchandra Pawar bloc said that Ajit Pawar has lost his utility to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"I think BJP wants to give them a message that they did not benefit from them (NCP) in the Lok Sabha. They thought that by favouring Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's power will be curtailed. But that has proved wrong. People have supported Sharad Pawar and given him strength. So Ajit Pawar has lost his utility to the BJP," Rohit Pawar said speaking to ANI on Sunday.
"In future, Ajit Pawar and his companions may have to fight elections under the BJP's symbol," he warned.
Rohit Pawar even said that people who join hands with the BJP have got their "power" reduced.
"Those who side with the BJP get their powers reduced and Ajit dada's power has reduced as well. People have also shown them that," Pawar said.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP won one seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.
Hitting out at Praful Patel, he said that the NCP leader from the Ajit Pawar faction has reaped maximum benefit from both camps.
"Praful Patel has benefitted the most in all this. His case under the ED has stopped. He had finished two years in Rajya Sabha, he had got it renewed for another six years. He is the smartest with Ajit dada. When he was with Sharad Pawar he took the post of Minister, when he was defeated by people, he was given Rajya Sabha ticket...," Pawar said.
Earlier in the day, Praful Patel said that accepting the position of Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge in the Union Cabinet will be considered a demotion for him, as he was earlier a Cabinet Minister in the UPA Government headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"Last night we were informed that our party will get a Minister of State with independent charge. I was earlier a Cabinet Minister in the Union Government, so this will be a demotion for me. We have informed the BJP leadership and they have already told us to just wait a few days, they will take remedial measures," Patel told reporters.
During the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, under the leadership of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Patel was the cabinet minister for the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. (ANI)