NCP (SP) MP-elect Bajrang Sonawane contacted Ajit Pawar, claims NCP leader

Mumbai: NCP (SP) leader Bajrang Sonawane, who won recent Lok Sabha elections from Beed, called up Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, an NCP leader claimed on Tuesday, sparking a buzz about the crossover.

"Beed's Bappa called Dada," tweeted MLC Amol Mitkari, a close associate of Ajit Pawar, popularly known as Dada.

Sonawane, fondly called by his supporters as Bajrang Bappa, refuted the claim and asserted he would stay with Sharad Pawar till his last breath.

In the recent elections, Sonawane trounced BJP candidate Pankaja Munde from Beed.

Earlier this week, Shiv Sena MP-elect Naresh Mhaske claimed two rival Sena (UBT) MPs were in touch with the Eknath Shinde-led party.

The NCP led by Ajit Pawar won only one Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, while the NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar bagged 8 out of 10 constituencies it contested.