Sharad Pawar sacks key allies; Ajit camp made new appointments in NCP

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday dismissed suggestions of a rebellion by his nephew Ajit Pawar, now deputy chief minister in Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde-led government, seeking his blessings as he sought to assert authority over the party. demonstrated strength. Which is facing its worst crisis since inception. A day after the rebellion in the NCP, Sharad Pawar sacked the party’s working president Praful Patel and general secretary and treasurer Sunil Tatkare for their involvement in “anti-party” activities, who had sided with Ajit Pawar in the rebellion.

“I, as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, order the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the register of NCP party members for protest,” the former Union Agriculture Minister said in a tweet. party activities.”

He tagged Rajya Sabha MP Patel, who was appointed NCP working president last month, and Tatkare in his tweet.

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I, as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, order the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the register of members of the NCP party for anti-party activities.@praful_patel @SunilTatkare– Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) 3 July 2023

Later, the NCP supremo issued notices to Patel and Tatkare, who are also Lok Sabha MPs.

Accusing him of facilitating and leading the defection of nine MLAs without their knowledge and consent, the senior Pawar said in his letter, “Mr Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs, who have taken oath as ministers, Your move to support the party is in violation of the party’s directives and mandate tantamounts to anti-party activities.”

Sharad Pawar said, “Looking at your actions, I remove your name from the membership register of the party.”

The letter states that the party is initiating appropriate action to formally disqualify Patel and Tatkare as MPs under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. It added that “misrepresentation of affiliation with NCP” on the part of Patel and Tatkare would henceforth be illegal and illegal.

Sharad Pawar’s action came soon after NCP working president Supriya Sule demanded action against Patel and Tatkare in a letter, whose daughter Shinde is one of the new ministers in the cabinet.

Ajit Pawar camp hit back

The Ajit Pawar camp soon retaliated by appointing Tatkare as Maharashtra NCP president in place of Jayant Patil. It also asked the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad from membership of the House.

Praful Patel told a press conference in Mumbai that he has appointed Tatkare as Maharashtra NCP president and Ajit Pawar as NCP legislature party leader, while Anil Bhaidas Patil, who was sworn in as minister on Sunday, will continue as party whip. in the assembly.

Patel said the decision to support the Eknath Shinde-led government and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a “collective” move by the NCP.

“Today (Monday) is Guru Purnima; we all wish that Sharad Pawar continues to bless us,” Patel said.

Patel said that instead of asking him how many MLAs are in the Ajit Pawar camp, this question should be asked to the other side (the rival group).

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was present at the press conference, said he has the support of “maximum” NCP MLAs and has given a letter to the Speaker, seeking disqualification of party MLAs Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad (who belong to the rival group from the House).

“Most of the NCP MLAs are with us, that’s why I became the deputy CM. We have requested the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad,” he said.

Junior Pawar, however, did not reveal the number of NCP MLAs supporting him.

Ajit Pawar said the party and MLAs are with him and the disqualification notice against him and the eight newly sworn-in ministers is meaningless.

Asked whether he would expel anyone from the party, including NCP working president and his cousin Sule, Ajit Pawar retorted, “We have not come here to expel anyone from our party.”

The Deputy CM said that the party is with him and his election symbol (clock) is also there. “Whatever we are doing is in the interest of the party. We will further strengthen our party,” he said.

When asked who is the national chief of the NCP, Ajit Pawar said, “The national president of the party is Sharad Pawar. Have you forgotten?”

He said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly is appointed by the Speaker and not by any party functionary.

Ajit Pawar said, “If we have rebelled then the law will decide. Only the Election Commission of India will decide whose party it is.” He said that the ‘Mahayuti’ government in Maharashtra (led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) would work for the welfare of the people. State and its people.

Ajit Pawar said, “We got the post of deputy chief minister and will work for the welfare of the state.”

Junior Pawar took a bad view of Jayant Patil appointing Awhad as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.

“It is the prerogative of the Speaker and the opposition party with the maximum number of seats gets the post,” he said.

The deputy CM mocked the disqualification notices against him and eight newly sworn-in ministers and the sacking of office-bearers who attended Sunday’s swearing-in ceremony along with Patel and Tatkare. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member assembly.

Addressing a press conference in western Maharashtra’s Satara district, Sharad Pawar said he has launched the statewide tour to strengthen the NCP and boost the confidence of its workers, without being swayed by the actions of some leaders.

Asked whether Ajit Pawar’s rebellion had his blessings, the NCP chief said, “It is a trifling thing to say. Only petty and low-intelligent people can say that. I have gone on a tour of the state and Will motivate the cadre. They should not be disheartened by what some leaders have done.”

Addressing NCP workers and supporters separately at Karad in Satara district, the 82-year-old politician said there was a need to fight the forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra and the country.

The former Union minister, who co-founded the NCP after quitting the Congress in 1999, lamented the defections in his organisation, saying, “Some of our people fell prey to the BJP’s strategy to break other parties.”

“Attempts are being made to create a communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. We need to fight forces that create fear among peace-loving citizens. We need to protect democracy in the country,” he said.

Before addressing the gathering, the NCP president visited the memorial of his guru and Maharashtra’s first CM Yashwantrao Chavan in Karad and paid floral tributes to him.