NCP Calls Crucial Meeting As Factional Divide Deepens
Sharad Pawar
The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has issued a directive to all its MLAs, instructing them to attend a crucial meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the opposing faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has also called for a separate gathering of party legislators. Jitendra Awhad, appointed as the chief whip of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, issued a concise directive on Tuesday stating that Sharad Pawar has scheduled the meeting at 1 pm on July 5 at Y B Chavan Centre, and the presence of all MLAs is mandatory. Awhad was named the chief whip by Sharad Pawar after Ajit Pawar, his nephew, joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government along with eight other MLAs on Sunday.
On Tuesday, the faction led by Ajit Pawar issued a notification to a wide range of individuals, including current and former legislators, parliamentarians, office-bearers, working committee members, and others. The notice called for their presence at a meeting organized by Sunil Tatkare, who was appointed as the Maharashtra unit president by the group. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the MET institute's location in suburban Bandra on Wednesday.
The expelled Shivajirao Garje issued the notice, having been removed from the Sharad Pawar-led party for engaging in "anti-party activities." The Ajit Pawar faction has requested the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad, both serving as MLAs.
NCP's working president, Praful Patel, who was dismissed from the party by Sharad Pawar, designated Ajit Pawar as the leader of the NCP legislative party on Monday. Anil Bhaidas Patil, who was sworn in as a minister on Sunday, will retain his role as the party whip in the Assembly.
In response, the NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has filed a petition with Speaker Narwekar, seeking the disqualification of Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs who have been sworn in as ministers in the government led by Eknath Shinde. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly currently has 53 NCP MLAs.