INDIA. Mumbai: The Ajit Pawar faction on Wednesday excelled in a show of strength between two factions after NCP was split when Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, and 8 other MLAs joined the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance Government in Maharashtra on Sunday.
The meetings of party Parliamentarians, legislators and party workers were held at different venues in which party workers and office bearers pledged support to their respective leaders.
Ajit Pawar was declared a National President of his faction in a meeting held at MET, Bandra West in North West Mumbai, attended by 32 legislators and Parliamentarians. In a letter to the Election Commission of India (EC), the faction communicated that Ajit Pawar was appointed as a National President by 40 MLAs in a meeting held on June 30. The faction also claimed the status of “real NCP” and a poll sign of “clock”.
Whereas the meeting convened by Sharad Pawar at Y B Chavan Centre in South Mumbai was attended by 21 odd legislators and Parliamentarians, including NCP MPs Supriya Sule and Amol Kolhe, MLAs Jayant Patil (Maharashtra NCP President), Anil Deshmukh, Daulat Darora and Raju Navghare. Some NCP MLAs, including Saroj Ahire, were not present in the meetings of either faction.
On the occasion, Jayant Patil administered an oath of solidarity to party workers. The Sharad Pawar faction has already taken disciplinary action against Ajit Pawar and 8 other ministers, MPs Praful Patel and Sunit Tatkare has communicated accordingly to the EC. Patil also announced that MP and former actor Amol Kolhe would be a publicity chief of the party in the ensuing elections.
Ajit Pawar, in his speech, criticized his uncle, saying that he was being painted as a villain for joining hands with the BJP. Still, Pawar himself had sent him for a meeting with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis earlier. Besides, he had openly stated that Narendra Modi would become the prime minister again after the 2024 elections. “Sharad Pawar, at the age of 83, should guide and bless the new generation. Why can’t he stop now?” Ajit Pawar asked.
In retaliation, Supriya Sule, in her speech, said that J & K National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah is 86, Industrialist Ratan Tata is 82, and megastar Amitabh Bachchan is 80. She said, “Why should Sharad Pawar stop working?”
Sharad Pawar said that regardless of numbers in Wednesday’s meetings, by and large, all supporters and party workers are with him, and no one needs to worry about the rebellion by Ajit Pawar, and the party will come off with flying colours in the ensuing elections.
In another development, Chief minister Eknath Shinde was closeted in a meeting with Shiv Sena MLAs and other office bearers in Mumbai till late Wednesday evening. The meeting was held to take stock of the change in equations and MLAs demand for ministerial berths after NCP joined the alliance to make it a three-engine government in Maharashtra.
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