Sharad Pawar has claimed Narendra Modi wanted the BJP and the NCP to join hands in Maharashtra to form the government in 2019, but he told the Prime Minister “it was not possible”.

During an event organised by the Marathi daily Loksatta on Wednesday, Pawar was asked if during discussions after the polls he had told Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah that the NCP and the BJP could come together if the latter replaced Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister.

Pawar replied: “It was his (Modi’s) wish that we (the NCP and the BJP) come together. However, I went to his office and told him it was not possible. I told him that we do not want to keep him in the dark. Our stand is different.”

Asked about Modi’s reaction, Pawar said the Prime Minister urged him to “think over it”.

State BJP president Chandrakant Patil said Pawar was not known for always speaking the truth.