NCP crisis: Who owns National Congress Party? Question remains unanswered on day 3- Highlights

Accusing the BJP of sponsoring the split in the NCP in Maharashtra, the Congress on Tuesday said this will only strengthen opposition unity and various parties will chalk out its further strategy at their meeting on July 17 and 18 in Bengaluru. AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said all the opposition parties are aware of the BJP's tactics and they will have to be together in fighting such forces. "Actually, it is an opportunity for all of us and there is opposition unity. We know this type of tactics of the BJP very much. Now everybody is feeling that we have to be together to fight against these forces. It is going to strengthen opposition unity. On July 17 and 18, we are meeting in Bengaluru, where opposition parties will chalk out the programme," he told reporters at the party headquarters.

The AAP on Tuesday slammed the BJP over NCP MLAs joining the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra, describing it as proof of the Centre "misusing" probe agencies to break Opposition parties. "This is the real face of the BJP," said the AAP's national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop talking about ethics, honesty and fight against corruption. Two days ago, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the outfit 24 years ago after quitting the Congress.

Those who don't accept Sharad Pawar as their leader should not use his photo: NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Sharad Pawar's photo at Ajit Pawar faction's office

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said there is no leader like PM Narendra Modi. “The country is marching ahead under his (Modi’s) leadership. We have joined the government to support him,” Ajit Pawar said, after inaugurating his NCP faction’s new office in south Mumbai. “There is no leader like Modi. There is no alternative to him,” he said. Ajit Pawar indicated that the allocation of portfolios in the state ministry may not be announced immediately.

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said those who "betrayed" his ideology should not use his photograph. "Only the party of which I am the national president and Jayant Patil the state president can use my photograph," he told reporters here. In his lifetime, it was his prerogative to decide who should use his photograph, he said. "Those who betrayed my ideology and with whom I have ideological differences cannot use my photograph," the veteran leader added.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is seeking legal opinion to tackle the crisis in the party caused by his nephew Ajit Pawar joining the Shiv Sena-BJP government and claiming the support of the bulk of MLAs, party sources said on Tuesday. Sharad Pawar, who returned from Satara on Monday night, is holding discussions with legal experts on how to handle the ongoing developments, said NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto. "Taking a legal opinion is necessary as this issue concerns Schedule 10 of the constitution," he said.

The Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Pune city unit on Tuesday passed a resolution announcing their support for party chief Sharad Pawar and affirmed that the party headed by him is the "real" NCP. The resolution was passed in a meeting held here in the presence of the NCP's city unit president Prashant Jagtap, Pune spokesperson Ankush Kakade, Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan, party leader Ravindra Malavadkar, and several party workers were present. The party in the resolution condemned the BJP's "dirty political stand" and stated that the saffron party was aware that without finishing the NCP, it will not be able to achieve its "desired" objective. On Sunday, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become a deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago after quitting the Congress.

After state cabinet meeting, Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, "Experienced leaders have been included. So, their experience will definitely benefit all discussions..."

"Not only Congress but there are also several people who are unhappy with their parties because their leaders are full of selfishness. They create obstacles on the path of nation's progress and they don't want PM Modi - just like what China & Pakistan wants," he added.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra will launch a statewide tour to galvanise cadres to fight against the Shiv Sena-BJP government even as Congress leaders met NCP chief Sharad Pawar here on Tuesday and expressed solidarity with him amid the crisis in his party. The NCP is in churn after senior leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government as deputy chief minister along with eight MLAs who took oath as ministers. The Ajit Pawar camp has claimed the support of 40 out of 53 MLAs of Nationalist Congress Party.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and other party leaders met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at Mumbai's YB Chavan. 

There was nothing new as such. We and Chief Minister Shinde have worked together in the cabinet. We have experience for the cabinet. Most of them were ministers in that cabinet. BJP also has some ministers, like Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil - when he was in Congress, I worked with him. So it is nothing new. All works are properly going on. You should not worry at all, the majority of (NCP) MLAs are with me: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar after the state cabinet meeting. 

LoP will be decided after discussion with Uddhav and Sharad Pawar: Maharashtra Congress

Amid the NCP crisis in Maharashtra, newly-appointed Deputy CM Ajit Pawar calls all NCP MPs, MLAs, MLCs, District heads and State delegates, asking them to be present for a meeting on 5th July in MET Bandra. At the same time, Sharad Pawar calls all its members on the same day (5th July) at YB Chavan Auditorium.

Slogans were raised against Ajit Pawar in Nagpur NCP office. Slogans of Ajit Pawar's death were raised. The Nagpur NCP has decided that it is with Sharad Pawar. 

Reported by Yogendra Tiwari 

Congress Legislative Party meeting begins at Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan. 

Ajit Pawar and his colleagues from NCP reach Mantralaya in Mumbai for the cabinet meeting

Uddhav Thackeray faction leaders begin to arrive arriving at 'Matoshree' for the meeting called by him.

Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP members not handed key to the new office building in Mumbai. 

NCP MP Amol Kolhe can resign from the Sharad Pawar camp. He had returned to the Sharad Pawar camp yesterday. 

Chaos breaks out at Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's new party office close to Mantralaya in Mumbai, TV reports stated.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, says "Several political parties want to join NDA for the development of the country and NCP has initiated this. I have faith that the NCP joining the Maharashtra cabinet will help in the development of the state. Keeping the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in mind, these political parties joining NDA will provide a strong and stable government in the Centre for the development of the country"

Ajit Pawar reached ministry for the first time after taking oath as Deputy CM of Maharashtra.

Clyde Crasto says, "A lot of things will start now. They are throwing legalities on us so we have to do our things. The process has begun. We have to follow up on what they do because at the NCP is Sharad Pawar, the clock symbol is Sharad Pawar and he is still the active president of the party..."

51 NCP MLAs wanted Sharad Pawar to explore possibility of joining Maha govt in 2022, said Praful Patel.

Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, says "Leader of the Opposition will be from the party which has the maximum number of MLAs. We (NCP, Congress and Uddhav Thackeray faction) will fight together against BJP. Congress will get a good number of seats in 2024 Lok Sabha. MVA is together and the people of the state are with us."

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar leaves from his office to inaugurate a new NCP party office near Mantralaya in Mumbai.

Ajit Pawar to shortly inaugurate the new NCP party office in Mumbai 

Former Jharkhand CM and BJP national vice president Raghubar Das says, "Whatever happened with the NCP party (Ajit Pawar's revolt), only one person is responsible for it and that is Sharad Pawar.

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal met Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on July 3 at Varsha Niwas in Mumbai.