NCP had inkling of BJP’s ‘intentions’ to break party but was clueless about Ajit Pawar’s move: Rohit Pawar

Sharad Pawar-led NCP had an inkling about BJP’s ‘intentions’ but was clueless about Ajit Pawar’s move, said the party chief’s grandnephew and NCP MLA Rohit Pawar. Rohit Pawar said that he will firmly support Sharad Pawar. These comments come after Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP by joining the Eknath Shinde government as the deputy chief minister, in a rude shock to his uncle Sharad Pawar. Apart from Ajit Pawar, eight NCP leaders were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra.

"We had no clue of Ajit Pawar joining hands with BJP. But the BJP was keen on breaking the NCP. We knew this much,” said Rohit Pawar, who is the grandson of Sharad Pawar’s elder brother Appasaheb Pawar. "However, going by all these developments, we wonder whether people like me made a mistake by joining politics," he told reporters.

Rohit Pawar, however, said that Ajit Pawar has helped him in his personal capacity also but politically they are all with party chief Sharad Pawar. If put to test, Sharad Pawar would have a larger acceptance, he said. 

Meanwhile, NCP’s state discipline committee passed a resolution to take appropriate steps as the nine MLAs deserted the party. “These actions of the 9 MLAs call for immediate disqualification as not only are such defections ipso facto seriously damaging to the party but also that if allowed to continue as members, there is a very real likelihood that they will continue to try and undermine the interests of the party. The fact that these defections were done in such a secretive manner, without the knowledge or consent of the Party President, amounts to desertion of the party which in turn invites disqualification,” the letter said. 

The party also wrote a letter to the Election Commission stating that they all stand firmly with Sharad Pawar. “A complaint was made at our state disciplinary committee, after which a disqualification petition was filed with the assembly speaker by email. We will also submit the petition physically after a few hours. We have also submitted it on WhatsApp and iMessage. Also, we have urged the assembly speaker to hear it tomorrow at the earliest," said NCP President Jayant Patil.

Patil said that nine MLAs “cannot be a party”. The oath taken by them – as part of the Shinde-BJP government – is against the party line. “They have taken an oath without the permission of the NCP chief. 9 MLAs are technically disqualified from the party. We expect that Assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar will give us time as soon as possible,” he said. 

MP Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter, said that they would fight to rebuild the party. “I would be happy if the rebels returned to the party. Let's see how things unfold in the future. My relations with Ajit dada will not change. Our credibility will only rise after this," she said.

Also read: 'Original gaddaars backstabbed us...': Aaditya Thackeray after Ajit Pawar, 8 NCP MLAs switch sides 

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