- Ajit Pawar met Devendra Fadnavis at his residence hours after meeting the rebel NCP MLAs this morning – reportedly to discuss the power-sharing formula.
- The NCP has submitted a petition to the Speaker of the Maharashtra assembly, seeking the disqualification of Ajit Pawar and his eight loyalists.
- Ajit Pawar also staked claim to the party’s name and symbol and claims to have the backing of over 40 of NCP’s total 53 MLAs in the state assembly.
- Reacting to the nephew’s big switch, Sharad Pawar maintained that “there is no problem in the family.”
- Party’s working president Supriya Sule said that Ajit Pawar may have different views, but she will always love him as a sister. I can never have a fight with my brother”
Ajit Pawar today held a series of meetings, a day after he broke ranks and joined the Eknath Shinde government as the deputy Chief minister, plunging the party founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar 24 years ago into a crisis. Ajit Pawar met Devendra Fadnavis at his residence hours after meeting the rebel NCP MLAs this morning – reportedly to discuss the power-sharing formula.
Sharad Pawar said the BJP was trying to “destroy” all Opposition parties, and vowed to rebuild the NCP. “My fight against communal forces begins today. Such rebellions happen. I will rebuild the party,” Mr. Pawar said.
The NCP has submitted a petition to the Speaker of the Maharashtra assembly, seeking the disqualification of Ajit Pawar and his eight loyalists. The party has also written to the Election Commission of India (EC) conveying that Sharad Pawar, who founded the NCP in 1999, continues to head the party and that there is no change in the leadership.
Ajit Pawar has claimed he has the support of practically the entire party. He also staked claim to the party’s name and symbol. For Ajit Pawar, the next move should be to move the Election Commission and prove that he is the original NCP. Sources have said that Ajit Pawar claims to have the backing of over 40 of NCP’s total 53 MLAs in the state assembly.
Reacting to the nephew’s big switch, Sharad Pawar said he would build new leadership in the party. He, however, maintained that “there is no problem in the family.”
Party’s working president Supriya Sule, who is also the daughter of Sharad Pawar, said the developments in the party will not impact the Opposition’s unity. She also said that Ajit Pawar may have different views, but she will “always love him as a sister.” “I can never have a fight with my brother,” Ms. Sule told the media.
The Congress indicated that they are standing with Sharad Pawar as they watched the evolving situation in Maharashtra. Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan asserted that Sharad Pawar, one of the most astute politicians in the country, will put up a fight – at least in the people’s court.
NCP suffered a vertical split yesterday after Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra – a post he will share with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. Eight other NCP MLAs, including staunch Sharad Pawar loyalists like Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil, were also made ministers.
(With inputs from agencies)
