Feeling guilty about deserting Sharad Pawar, but did so to protect supporters: NCP leader Nimbalkar

Senior leader of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar on Sunday said he feels guilty about deserting Sharad Pawar but did so to protect his workers. Nimbalkar's statement has come amid growing buzz about him returning to the parent fold of the party ahead of the state assembly elections.

Speaking at a function in Phaltan to mark his 75th birthday, Nimbalkar said he decided to break ranks with Sharad Pawar and go with the party headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for the safety and security of his workers.

"However, that didn't happen," the former chairperson of the state legislative council said.


Ajit Pawar, along with several other MLAs, joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in July 2023, leading to a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

Referring to speculations that he will join the NCP (SP), the senior leader said, "How can I face (Sharad) Pawar saheb, who made me a minister in 2009 though I was not even a legislator? I feel guilty about deserting him. But I did so to ensure the security of my workers. But that doesn't seem to be happening."

He said he had informed Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis that he would not campaign for BJP MP Ranjit Nimbalkar during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

The senior leader said he would decide about his political future after discussing it with his workers.

He said that in the delimitation, the focus will be increasing the number of seats in urban areas.

"Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and nearby areas will account for about 125 seats. You need 144 for a simple majority," he said.

Nimbalkar is the father-in-law of state assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.