Mumbai: In the midst of the power struggle within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), party president Sharad Pawar has scheduled a National Executive meeting in Delhi on Thursday.
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, has filed a plea with the Election Commission regarding the ownership claim of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and its party logo.
The affidavit also mentioned a resolution passed by both the legislative and organizational wings electing Ajit Anantrao Pawar as the President of the NCP. Praful Patel is to continue being one of the working presidents of the NCP. The NCP also decided to appoint Ajit Pawar as the leader of the NCP Legislative Party in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The Ajit Pawar-led faction has stated in the affidavit that the resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority of NCP MLAs.
Reacting to Ajit Pawar’s plea to ECI, Sharad Pawar said, “The party symbol is with us; it is not going anywhere. The people and party workers who brought us to power are with us.”
HIGHLIGHTS
- 35 out of the 53 NCP MLAs reportedly participated in the meeting convened by Ajit Pawar. Furthermore, five out of the eight NCP MLCs were seen on the side of Ajit Pawar.
- Leader of Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, Praful Patel, on Wednesday, claimed the support of the “bulk” of the party’s legislators stating there was “no need to worry.”
- Arriving to attend a party meeting called by Maharashtra Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in Bandra, Patel told reporters, “We have everyone with us. There is no need to worry”.
- Ahead of the meeting Ajit Pawar along with other party leaders unfurled the NCP flag at the Mumbai Education Trust Bandra.
- NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal also said that they have the numbers. “We will see the number of leaders sitting in on the stage and at other places. Supporters are signing papers and they are asked from where they have come. The exact number of leaders can only be seen on the stage,” Bhujbal said.
- The crisis in NCP is escalating with two factions calling separate meetings today in an apparent show of strength.
- Supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar were seen gathered outside the YB Chavan Centre in the city ahead of a meeting called by Sharad Pawar. NCP working president and MP, Supriya Sule also reached the venue.
- NCP suffered a split on Sunday with Ajit Pawar joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government along with eight other MLAs.
- NCP led by Sharad Pawar has moved a disqualification petition against the nine MLAs to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal along with Dilip Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Mundo, Dharmaraobaba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil joined Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis Maharashtra government on Sunday. - Sharad Pawar has removed his close aide Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from the party for “anti-party activities”.
- Praful Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP, has been a close associate of Pawar and was appointed working president of NCP last month. He was a minister in the Congress-led UPA government along with Pawar.Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule had written to him for action against the two MPs.