Ajit Pawar faction writes to Speaker: 'Disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad'

NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said his party has written to Speaker, seeking the disqualification of state party chief Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad, who was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition by Sharad Pawar. "I have come to know from media reports that action is been taken against our 9 MLAs. In this context, we have sent an application to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad," Ajit Pawar said. 

Also read: NCP vs NCP: Sharad Pawar expels Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare; Ajit-Patel faction appoints new Maharashtra NCP chief

The NCP is currently divided, with one faction led by Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel and another by Sharad Pawar. In a dramatic move, Ajit Pawar, who was Leader of the Opposition, on Sunday joined the NDA and claimed the support of almost all NCP MLAs. However, Sharad Pawar said only a few MLAs were with him and that he will rebuild the party again. 

Today, Sharad Pawar expelled Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for "anti-party activities". Soon after this, Praful Patel, who was recently appointed as the working president of NCP, said he had appointed Sunil Tatkare as the Maharashtra unit chief. Patel said Tatkare will have the authority to make organisational changes in the party.  

"We are relieving Jayant Patil of his responsibilities and in his place, I am appointing Sunil Tatkare as Maharashtra President of NCP," Praful Patel said.

Patel further said that Ajit Pawar has been unanimously elected as leader of the NCP legislature party while Anil Patil will continue to be NCP's whip in Maharashtra Assembly. "We have informed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker about our decision."