Maharashtra NCP crisis updates | Ajit Pawar-faction seek Sharad Pawar’s blessings

A day after NCP stalwart Ajit Pawar joined the Maharashtra Government as Deputy CM with some senior leaders, several workers of the party visited its south Mumbai office and extended their support to patriarch Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar, however, has asked his colleagues to refrain from making any public statements.

Several NCP leaders and workers from districts and tehsils neighbouring Mumbai rushed to the party office to extend their support to the Pawar senior.

PTI

Describing the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government as an “illegitimate child,” Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the people had given the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance a significant mandate in the 2019 Assembly polls but Uddhav Thackeray “cheated them” by aligning with NCP and Congress to become the Chief Minister.

In an interview with ANI, which was recorded on June 29 before the split in NCP, Mr. Fadnavis said Uddhav Thackeray formed the government with those who didn’t get the mandate.

“MVA Government was an illegitimate child. It was not born out of electoral results because Shiv Sena and BJP fought together in 2019 and together we declared that the elections were being fought under Devendra Fadnavis. PM Modi ji, Home Minister Saab [Amit Shah], Nadda ji said it and even Uddhav Thackeray ji said it,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

A unique scenario is emerging for the first time after the last 51 years as the number of MLAs from various parties backing the Maharashtra Government has prima facie reached 200, post the induction of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in the State Cabinet.

The last time when more than 200 MLAs were part of the State Government was in 1972, but at that time all the 222 legislators belonged to Congress. Also, the strength of the House was 270 at that time, a former State legislature official said on Monday citing data.

The exact number of MLAs supporting Ajit Pawar, who took oath as Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday, is not known yet. However, Ajit Pawar’s loyalist and MLC Amol Mitkari claimed the support of 36 (out of 53) MLAs.

PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on July 3 spent time to ease the unrest among his Shiv Sena colleagues facing disqualification in connection with the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray and the split in the party as well as the changed equations with the entry of nine NCP MLAs in the government.

Incidentally, after the rebellion in June last year led to Mr. Shinde becoming Chief Minister, one of the reasons they gave for breaking away from Uddhav Thackeray was the dominance of the NCP in the Maha Vikas Agahdi Government.

PTI

Maharashtra Congress has convened a meeting of its legislators on July 4 where the issue of staking a claim to the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly may come up for discussion, a party leader said.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary H.K. Patil will attend the meeting.

The post of the Leader of the Opposition fell vacant after NCP leader Ajit Pawar resigned and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP Government as Deputy Chief Minister while eight MLAs of NCP took oath as Ministers.

Notably, the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Sharad Pawar, appointed MLA Jitendra Awhad as the Leader of the Opposition.

PTI

Accusing the government of using probe agencies to threaten the BJP’s rivals and engineering splits within them, Opposition parties said such actions will only strengthen their unity.

Replying to Mr. Ramesh’s tweet, the TMC’s leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien took a dig at the BJP asking him how he managed to get hold of a packet of washing powder when it seemed to be running out of stock in Maharashtra.

“The Speaker should end their membership immediately. It is evident that the Speaker is also under pressure from BJP Government and PM Modi. The Speaker is not going to do anything. BJP and its allies have ripped the Constitution into pieces. They have nothing to do with democracy. These people only want power. All this has been done with proper planning,” Congress leader Rashid Alvi told ANI.

NCP working president Praful Patel said he has appointed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as leader of NCP legislature party.

“As he is our guru, we request him [Sharad Pawar] to give us his blessings,” added Mr. Patel.

“We have the support of majority of MLAs and asked the other faction to disclose the exact number of MLAs supporting them,” he said.

The majority of NCP MLAs are with us, said NCP leader Ajit Pawar a day after he joined the Maharashtra Government. “They have no right to move disqualification petition against us as the party and symbol are with us,” he added.

When asked about who will be the national president of the party, Ajit Pawar said “Have you forgotten that Sharad Pawar is the party’s national president?”

Sunil Tatkare’s daughter Aditi was among the Ministers who took oath on July 2.

Sharad Pawar expelled rebel MPs Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel from the NCP for anti-party activities.

“As the National President, Nationalist Congress Party hereby order removal of the names of MPs Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel from the Register of Members of NCP Party for anti-party activities,” Mr. Pawar said.

In a significant setback to rebel Ajit Pawar, NCP MP Amol Kolhe, has pledged his support to the party supremo Sharad Pawar, a day after joining hands with the Shinde-Fadnavis-Pawar government.

“I attended the swearing-in ceremony yesterday, but it is my conscience that has guided this decision. I will be meeting Pawar saheb tomorrow,” the actor-turned-politician said.

In the wake of the political developments in Maharashtra that led to a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), its Goa unit on Monday pledged support for party chief Sharad Pawar.

Talking to PTI, the party’s state unit president Jose Philip D’Souza said the entire unit of Goa is strongly behind Sharad Pawar and will not break away from the NCP.

The entire unit has faith in Sharad Pawar’s capabilities to rebuild the party even after such moves by some leaders, D’Souza said.

“We have seen him do it some 15 years ago when a similar incident had happened,” he said.

A day after joining the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and State Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday went to meet Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to discuss allocation of portfolios in the Cabinet, sources said.

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to become the Deputy Chief Minister. Eight other NCP leaders were also sworn in as Ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on July 3 claimed he has information that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised Ajit Pawar the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister.

With Ajit Pawar’s move to join the ruling Eknath Shinde-BJP coalition on Sunday changing political dynamics in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also claimed that Shinde will lose the CM’s post.

Sharad Pawar took thinly-veiled jibes at the ruling BJP at Karad. “We will put those who split the NCP in their proper places…There is a need to protect the common man’s democratic rights. A vile mentality is rearing its head in progressive Maharashtra. There are attempts to create social divisions, foment communal riots in a society which had been used to living harmoniously. There is an urgent need to uphold democratic rights,”he said.

NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of party chief Sharad Pawar, on July 3 claimed senior leaders had an inkling of BJP’s “intention” to break the party, but were clueless about Ajit Pawar’s swift move to join hands with the ruling alliance.

Speaking to reporters in Maharashtra’s Pune city, Rohit Pawar said he is firmly with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. -PTI

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on July 3 claimed NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who has been sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, would replace Chief Minister Eknath Shinde soon. -PTI

Sharad Pawar on July 3 left from Pune for Karad to visit the memorial of Maharashtra’s first Chief Minister Yashwantrao Chavan.

The NCP chief was accompanied by his wife Pratibha Pawar, Rajya Sabha member Vandana Chavan, NCP spokesperson Ankush Kakde, party’s Pune city unit president Prashant Jagtap and many other party workers.

The former CM and senior Congressman Prithviraj Chavan, the MLA of Karad South welcomed Mr. Pawar.

“As the elections draw closer, several MVA leaders will join our party. Even though Sharad Pawar claims that his party was strong, we witness 40 individuals leaving him,” BJP leader and Union Minister Narayan Rane said on Monday, adding that rebuilding the party in current times is no easy task, especially with BJP holding power both at the state and central level.

Mr. Rane said that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appears to be under immense pressure, as he has seemingly lost everything.

NCP MP Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar’s cousin, speaking after the latter’s rebellion said, “Dada will always remain my elder brother. I would be very happy if they return back. I was not privy to any information [of the NCP leaders taking this step]… It appears that BJP lacks confidence ahead of the 2024 elections NCP is a very democratic party.” On Ajit Pawar’s praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said: “This is a democratic country. I am in touch with all MLAs, I have spoken yesterday and will continue to do so. Let us see how this story unfolds.”

Rebel NCP leaders started gathering at the residence of newly sworn-in DCM Ajit Pawar for a meeting as the Nationalist Congress Party moves the disqualification petition against nine MLAs, including Mr. Ajit Pawar.

The office of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has confirmed the receipt of the disqualification petition against nine NCP MLAs.