In politics, the one who determines which way the wind blows and acts accordingly has chances of benefiting. The current state politics is no different, as several MLAs and MPs who had ditched either the Congress or NCP ahead of the 2014 polls are now building bridges with them. The mood is palpable here at the winter session of the state legislature. Most BJP first-timers, the original party workers, are sceptical about their future in the wake of the Gujarat Assembly results. But the imports from other parties, who won from their respective constituencies, have an easier and safer option of switching sides yet again, before the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

(Left) Ashish Deshmukh with Ajit Pawar at the Nagpur winter session