Mumbai: The political drama in Maharashtra intensified on Monday with rival camps of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) sacking, or suspending each other’s leaders or office-bearers. Breakaway NCP’s Working President Praful Patel has ‘retained’ NCP supremo Sharad Pawar as the national President but ‘relieved’ party’s Maharashtra President Jayant Patil of his responsibilities and appointed MP Sunil Tatkare in his place with immediate effect.
He also appointed Ajit Pawar as the NCP Legislature Party Leader and continued Anil Patil as the Chief Whip, while initiating action against the NCP’s move to name Dr. Jitendra Awhad as the new Leader of Opposition and Chief Whip.
“Nobody has the right to take action or disqualify any of the leaders who have taken the decision to join the Maharashtra government,” said Patel.
Tatkare said that he had taken into confidence all the leaders of the party and has convened a meeting of all legislators and Zilla Parishad leaders on Wednesday.
Referring to the NCP appointment of Dr Awhad, Ajit Pawar pointed out that only the Speaker has the authority to appoint the LoP on the basis of the majority strength of the opposition legislators.
“We are all in the NCP and the maximum number of legislators are with us… So it (the appointments) don’t make any sense,” he claimed.
On the other hand, NCP President Sharad Pawar himself ordered the sacking of Patel and Tatkare from the primary membership of the party and their respective posts of Working President and National General Secretary for “anti-party activities” with immediate effect.
Besides, the party has also made changes at various other posts in the Mumbai organisation after the surprise revolt by Ajit Pawar and his group on Sunday followed by his swearing-in as the new and second Deputy Chief Minister in the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government.
Earlier on Monday, NCP’s sole Working President Supriya Sule had written a strong letter to Sharad Pawar demanding immediate action against Praful Patel and Tatkare, both MPs.
“Patel and Tatkare, on July 2, 2023 acted in direct contravention of the Party Constitution and Rules, amounting to desertion and disqualification form the party membership. I request Pawar Saheb to take immediate action and file disqualification petitions under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India before the competent authority against the two MPs for engaging in anti-party activities,” said Sule.
Hours after Ajit Pawar and some other Nationalist Congress Party leaders joined the Maharashtra government, party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said, “This is not ‘googly’, it is a robbery” and that he was worried about the future of those who left the party.
Talking to reporters after his nephew and eight other party leaders rebelled and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, Pawar said he was not worried about what happened and will work to strengthen the party again.
“This is not ‘googly’, it is a robbery. It is not a small thing,” Sharad Pawar said.
“Some of my colleagues have taken a different stand. I had called a meeting of all the leaders on July 6, where some important issue was to be discussed and some changes were to be made within the party but before that meeting, some of the leaders have taken a different stand.”
