The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, experienced a significant division recently when Ajit Pawar defected and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government as Deputy Chief Minister. This split has led to the Congress party now holding the largest number of MLAs in the opposition benches of Maharashtra.
Shortly after Sharad Pawar made it clear in a media address that Ajit Pawar was not the party, Ajit Pawar himself spoke to the media, announcing new appointments within the party. One of these changes involved ‘replacing’ Jayant Patil as the state party chief with Sunil Tatkare.
In response to Ajit Pawar’s rebellion, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP expelled MP Praful Patel and four other leaders who supported Ajit Pawar. Concurrently, the faction led by Ajit Pawar declared the appointment of Sunil Tatkare as the new state chief of the party, removing Jayant Patil from the post.
Who represents the real NCP?
In the midst of these unfolding events, Sharad Pawar made it clear that Ajit Pawar does not represent the party as a whole. He also acknowledged that his daughter, Supriya Sule, was present at the meeting, but stressed that her attendance did not imply any wrongdoing on her part.
Ajit Pawar offered a defense for his actions, asserting that in similar situations involving other political parties, the Election Commission has historically made the final decision regarding party names and symbols. He expressed confidence in their faction’s claim to being the true representation of the party, citing the support of a majority of MLAs as evidence.
Sharad Pawar underscored the presence of all the MLAs affiliated with their faction, stating that their aim was not to showcase their strength. He acknowledged the natural ebb and flow of political alliances and emphasized his personal experience in navigating such fluctuations on multiple occasions in the past.
In his capacity as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar utilized the platform of Twitter to exercise his authority. He issued a directive, ordering the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the Register of Members of the NCP Party due to their alleged involvement in activities deemed detrimental to the party’s interests.
These recent events have caused a major upheaval within the NCP, leaving both factions grappling for control and influence. The future trajectory of the party remains uncertain, as the conflict between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar continues to unfold.