According to political analysts, Vijaysinh is joining the Pawar camp not out of love for the Maratha strongman, but to strengthen his own base ahead of the oncoming political battle. Thus Vijaysinh is taking a calculated step, after two weeks of meetings with his followers and MLAs, before reaching the decision, they said.

Vijaysinh had conferred with former Congress veteran Vishnuanna Patil before joining the NCP, it was stated. He shares good relations with the Patil clan of Sangli. The late Shankarrao Vijaysinh Patil was close to former chief minister, the late Vasantdada Patil.

Vijaysinh did not want to be in Pawar's bad books this time. Bythrowing his weight behind a former Pawar foe Sudhakarrao Naik, Vijaysinh almost faced a political exile.

Vijaysinh's move has put the NCP in a gaining position in western Maharashtra. Vijaysinh Patil has the power base in the well-knit cooperative network in Solapur.

Subhash Patil was another political threat for Vijaysinh in his Malshiras Assembly constituency. Subhash had contested two Assembly elections against Vijaysinh, unsuccessfully. In the 1995 Assembly elections, Subhash, contesting on a BJP ticket managed to reduce Vijaysinh's winning margin to 19,000 votes from the earlier margin of over a lakh votes.

The dhangar community has always played a major role in Malshiras. With Subhash breaking away from the BJP and possibilities of him emerging as a Pawar-supported alternative to Vijaysinh has forced the latter to join hands with Pawar, political pundits said.

The threat is not over, said well-placed sources. Subhash, now hobnobbing with Swatantra Maharashtra leader Anil Gote, couldshake hands with the Congress, in place of Vijaysinh.

The political scene however has gone sour for former Lok Sabha member from Pandharpur, Sandipan Thorat. His apple-cart may well be toppled by Vijaysinh. Both Solapur MPs, AICC general secretary Sushilkumar Shinde and Thorat, have extended support to Sonia Gandhi.

Although, Shinde has avoided any comment on Pawar so far, Thorat had heavily assailed Pawar. A few Thorat followers, however, have branded his speech as childish.

Meanwhile, more Congress corporators in Solapur owing allegiance to the Vijaysinh faction have joined the NCP, further reducing the strength of Congress in the Solapur Municipal Council.