As the NCP vs NCP rift deepens, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar appears to be ahead in the number game with more Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs supporting him than his uncle and party president Sharad Pawar. On Wednesday, the warring factions held separate meetings to show their strength, escalating the battle between the relatives as to who will hold the reins of the party founded by Sharad Pawar 24 years ago after quitting Congress.
In the meeting called by the Ajit camp, as many as 32 of the 53 NCP MLAs attended the meeting in Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, while reportedly18 MLAs were present at the conclave addressed by the NCP chief at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai.
On July 2, Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government led by Eknath Shinde, and was later sworn in as the deputy Chief Minister of the state. He shares the position with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. Eight other NCP MLAs also joined the Maharashtra government.
Here’s how the NCP drama on July 5 unfolded:
-The Sharad Pawar-led NCP issues a whip asking all MLAs to remain present mandatorily for a key meeting to be held at 1 pm at Y B Chavan Centre in Mumbai. The one-line whip was issued on Tuesday by Jitendra Awhad, chief whip of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
-Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s camp also issued a notice on Tuesday to all current and former legislators, parliamentarians, office-bearers, working committee members and others, asking them to attend a meeting convened by Sunil Tatkare, the Maharashtra unit president appointed by the group, at the MET institute’s premises in suburban Bandra on Wednesday. The notice was issued by Shivajirao Garje, who has been expelled by the Sharad Pawar-led party for “indulging in anti-party activities”.
-An editorial in the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ dubbed the political situation in Maharashtra a movie, called “One (doubt) full and two half”, a reference to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and two Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
“The BJP is being ridiculed for what it has done in Maharashtra. It is only left for the party to induct Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya. One will be made national treasurer of the party, second will be appointed in the NITI Aayog and third the governor of the Reserve Bank of India,” it quipped, reports PTI.
-In the meeting called by Ajit Pawar, as many as 35 of 53 NCP MLAs were present, PTI reported, citing party sources. The number could reportedly increase. The party needs the support of at least 36 MLAs to avoid disqualification.
-The NC vs NCP fight reaches Election Commission’s door. The Ajit camp has filed over 40 affidavits of MLAs and MPs in his support. The Sharad Pawar camp has filed a caveat with the central poll authority urging it to hear them first before passing any directive in connection with the factional fight, Election Commission sources told PTI.
-Ajit Pawar went all-out criticising his uncle, speaking at the meeting convened by him in suburban Bandra as a show of strength. Surrounded by party workers, including 32 of NCP’s 53 MLAs, Ajit Pawar reminded his 83-year-old uncle that it was about time that he retires.
“In BJP, leaders retire at 75, when are you going to stop,” Ajit Pawar said. “Everybody has his innings. The most productive years are from 25 to 75 years,” he added.
“You are 83, aren’t you going to stop? Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life,” he jibed.
-Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, speaking at a party meeting, criticised the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the party for going with the BJP for power, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the NCP a “corrupt” party. Sharad Pawar even warned the rival faction saying that “every single ally of the BJP has eventually faced political destruction” and they will meet the same fate. “Those who join hands with the BJP and share power get politically destroyed eventually. To steadily weaken its political allies is the BJP’s policy. There are enough examples of this in other states,” Sharad Pawar said.
“Akali Dal was with the BJP for many years, but now it is nowhere. Similar situation unfolded in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar realised it and switched to an alliance with the RJD,” he said.
-Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, belonging to the Ajit Pawar camp, said they took the decision of joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra after “proper consideration”. Speaking to a news channel, Bhujbal said, “We have taken the decision to join the Maharashtra government after proper consideration. If he (NCP chief Sharad Pawar) has a long career of 57-58 years in politics, I have also spent 56 years in the same field.”
“Our decision did not happen like we woke up one morning and joined the government,” he added.