NCP vs NCP: Ajit, Sharad Pawar call for party meetings on Wednesday at separate venues; ask all to be present

The infighting in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has escalated as Ajit and Sharad Pawar have moved to assert their authority by a taking series of decisions with regard to the party and some of the top leaders. On Monday, the Ajit Pawar faction, which has now joined the NDA, removed NCP Maharashtra chief Jayant Patil and replaced him with Sunil Tatkare. In retaliation, Sharad Pawar expelled the nine leaders including Ajit for 'anti-party' activities.  

Both factions (Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar) are jostling to garner the support of the party leaders and workers. Today, Ajit Pawar called all NCP MPs, MLAs, MLCs, District heads, and state delegates, asking them to be present for a meeting on Wednesday at Mumbai's MET Bandra. At the same time, Sharad Pawar has also called all its members on the same day at YB Chavan Auditorium.

In a dramatic development on Sunday, Ajit Pawar along with eight other MLAs joined NDA. Later, he claimed that he had the support of almost all NCP MLAs. But reports suggest that he has the backing of 25 MLAs while Sharad Pawar has 14 and the rest are yet to decide. In all, the NCP has 54 MLAs in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has said he is yet to ascertain whether the NCP is a part of the Shiv Sena-BJP government or is still in the Opposition. Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Narwekar said his office has not yet received any petition mentioning a split in the party.

"I am yet to ascertain whether the NCP is a part of the state government or is still in the Opposition bloc. I will go through the details available before me and take a call on it," he said. Ajit Pawar was the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly before he took oath as deputy CM.

Narwekar said, "I have received only one petition from NCP MLA Jayant Patil seeking disqualification of nine MLAs (Ajit Pawar and eight others who took oath as ministers along with him). There is no written communication from any other leader of the NCP." "I have not received any petition mentioning a split in the party," he stated.

Earlier in the day, NCP Pune's city working committee held a meeting and passed a resolution to support NCP chief Sharad Pawar and condemned the BJP for trying to break the party. The resolution was moved by NCP senior leader Ankush Kakade, supported by all the leaders present in the meeting. NCP city chief Prashant Jagtap and all party office bearers and workers were present at the meeting.

(With inputs from PTI)