Days after joining the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will inaugurate a new Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) office near Mantralaya in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Ajit Pawar faction MP Praful Patel, on Monday, in a joint conference announced that Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare has been appointed as the new state president of the party in Maharashtra.
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During the conference, Patel also announced that they have filed a disqualification petition against Jayant Patil.
“We are relieving Jayant Patil of his responsibilities and in his place, I am appointing Sunil Tatkare as Maharashtra President of Nationalist Congress Party. Sunil Tatkare will have the authority to make organisational decisions.”
During the press conference, new elected party state president Sunil Tatkare said he will strengthen the party in Maharashtra.“I have taken into confidence all leaders of the party. I have also called a meeting of the legislators and zila parishad leader,” he added.
Earlier, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar sacked Patil and Tatkare, both MPs who had sided with Ajit Pawar in his rebellion, from the party.
On Sunday, Ajit Pawar along with 8 MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy chief minister, marking a vertical split in the NCP.
Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar has called a meeting on July 5 in Mumbai in which all MPs and MLAs are asked to remain present. Interestingly, Ajit Pawar has also called the meeting on the same day and has called all the supporting NCP leaders and ministers.