Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar calls key party meet in Delhi tomorrow as rebels appoint Ajit as chief

Independent MLA Devendra Mahadevrao Bhuyar met Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar at his residence in Mumbai today. Bhuyar was present at NCP President Sharad Pawar's meeting held at YB Chavan Centre, earlier today.

Parties are not run by leaders but by workers, ideology. Pawar Saheb kept an ideology intact for 60 years. Workers are working with that ideology. People will lose their faith in you if you keep changing your ideology, said NCP MLA Rohit Pawar on Ajit Pawar's attempt to break the party.

"...I think this enthusiasm of workers will help our MLAs & MPs get elected in the time to come," said Sharad Pawar loyalist NCP MLC Eknath Khadse.

"We can definitely win. When BJP can go from two to 300, why can't we do it?" Khadse said when asked if they have enough numbers to win polls.

Amid a rebellion bid by Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar has called for an NCP National Executive meeting tomorrow at 3 pm in Delhi.

As NCP internal tussle continues to unfold, rebel MLAs have removed Sharad Pawar as party President and appointed Ajit Pawar as their chief.

"When we entered politics in 2019 and contested the Vidhan Sabha election, Pawar Saheb was 82. Most of us were elected due to him. So, I don't think age matters much... It is not as if existing MLAs alone are needed to win election, candidates are needed for it... This incident might give strength to a lot of people. Let's see..." said Sharad Pawar loyalist, NCP MLA Rohit Pawar.

As NCP tussle intensifies, MLAs who are with party president Sharad Pawar sign affidavits to show their loyalty towards him, in Mumbai.

"82 saal ka sher abhi bhi zinda hai," says Sharad Pawar loyalist Anil Deshmukh on Ajit Pawar's "retirement" remark for Sharad Pawar.

Addressing the party workers after Ajit Pawar original NCP claim, Sharad Pawar said, "no need to worry, won't allow anyone to snatch NCP's symbol."

"NCP has created strong leadership in Maharashtra over last 24 years... India''s reins are in hands of those who are not bothered about people''s interests," he added.

Speaking about party politics, Sharad Pawar said, "Ajit Pawar should have spoken to me if he had any problems. If he had something on his mind he could have approached me."

"You (BJP) called the NCP corrupt. So, why have you allied with the NCP now?... Whatever happened to Uddhav Thackeray has been repeated," Sharad Pawar added.

We don't have hunger for power, will keep working for the people, says NCP President Sharad Pawar.

"Today, the entire country is watching us... This meeting is historic for NCP. We have to keep marching ahead despite the hurdles in our way," said NCP President Sharad Pawar as Ajit Pawar rebelled against the party.

"Disrespect us, but not our father (Sharad Pawar). This fight is against the BJP government. BJP is the most corrupt party in the country," says NCP Working President Supriya Sule, in Mumbai. The original NCP is with Sharad Pawar and the original symbol is us, adds Sule.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar says, "You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)...But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60...even in politics - BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi...That allows the new generation to rise...You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings... The other day, he went to YB Chavan memorial... I have also been there... but you are 83, aren't you going to stop?... Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life."

Election Commission of India has received a petition from Ajit Pawar staking claim to Nationalist Congress Party and party symbol. The commission has also received a caveat from Jayant Patil that they have initiated a disqualification process against 9 MLAs: Sources

NCP leader Ajit Pawar made some serious allegations against his uncle and party chief Sharad Pawar. Addressing his faction of MLAs at MET Bandra, Ajit Pawar claimed that NCP lost Chief Minister's post opportunity in 2004 despite having more MLAs than Congress. He said the senior Pawar gave the CM post to the Congress in 2014. "Shard Pawar unanimously took all the decisions and I supported him throughout. As my uncle (Sharad Pawar) has become old, he should bless me now. 

"We hold a great deal of reverence for Sharad Pawar. There is no doubt about it. Everyone should work together for the development of society and Constitution. We are working to realise Shivaji Maharaj's dream of self-governance," said Ajit Pawar at Mumbai

NCP chief Sharad Pawar reached the YB Chavan Centre for the meeting. Amid a split in the party, both factions of NCP decided to conduct parallel meetings to show their respective strength of the elected MLAs. 

NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Jayant Patil reached the YB Chavan centre in Mumbai. The meeting is likely to start shortly. So far 12 legislators have reached the centre for the meeting. 

Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP leader of the Ajit Pawar faction, claimed that they have the support of more than 40 legislators with them. Speaking at the meeting, he also said that some of the MLAs (their supporters) are currently in foreign countries. "More than 40 MLAs and MLCs are with us. We have done all the due diligence before taking the oath. We did not take the oath just like that," he added. 

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar reached MET Bandra. He along with other party leaders was also seen unfurling the NCP flag at MET Bandra ahead of the meeting. 

So far 13 MLAs have reached the YB Chavan centre to attend the meeting called by Sharad Pawar. The meeting is set to begin at 1 PM. 

The following MLAs and MPs reached Sharad Pawar's camp:

Rajendra Shingne
Jitendra Awhad
Prajakta Tanpure
Anil Deshmukh
Rajesh Tope
Balasaheb Patil
Devendra Bhuyar
Ashok Pawar
Rohit Pawar
Kiran Lamte

Members of Parliament

Fauzia Khan (Rajya Sabha)
Srinivas Patil (Lok Sabha)
Supriya Shinde (Lok Sabha)

In a sign of disquiet in the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) over the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joining the Maharashtra government, its leader Sanjay Shirsat said that all party leaders were not happy over the development and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will decide the course of action now. "In politics when our rival gang wants to join us, we have to take them in and that is what BJP did. After NCP joined us, people in our group were upset because some of our leaders will not get their desired position. It is not true that all our leaders are happy with NCP joining us," he told news agency ANI. 

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction of Shiv Sena is putting pressure on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to not allocate "key portfolios" in ministries to the NCP. According to sources, CM Shinde has also expressed his displeasure with the inclusion of NCP into the state government. He also cut short his Nagpur visit on Tuesday where he was supposed to attend a programme along with President Droupadi Murmu.  

So far 13 MLAs have reached Ajit Pawar's camp to attend the meeting. Ajit Pawar has claimed that he has the support of total 40 MLAs. The meeting of the Ajit Pawar faction is likely to begin shortly. 

The following MLAs reached Bandra MIT for the meeting:

Sunil Shalke
Anna Bansode
Sunil Tingre
Chetan Tupe
Dhananjay Munde
Chhagan Bhujbal
Narhari Jhirwal
Anil Patil
Manikrao Kokate
Aditi Tatkare
Amol Mitkari
Aniket Tatkare

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is likely to hold a meeting with his MLAs today at 7 PM. According to sources, MLAs of Shinde-Sena have expressed their displeasure over NCP joining the government. 

Former Maharashtra Home Minister & NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Anil Deshmukh said, "We will see a huge number of supporters joining Sharad Pawar when he will go out of Maharashtra." His statement comes as both factions of NCP have called meetings today in a show of strength. 

Supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar have gathered outside YB Chavan Centre ahead of the meeting called by the party chief. NCP working president and MP, Supriya Sule also reached YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai.

In a show of strength, the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP will begin its meeting at 11 am, while the Sharad Pawar faction is likely to hold its meeting at 1 PM today in Mumbai. 

In a major setback to Ajit Pawar, senior Maharashtra Congress leader Ashok Chavan on Wednesday joined back Sharad Pawar's camp. 

Read the full story here

Posters in support of Sharad Pawar have cropped up outside the NCP chief's house, calling him a "Warrior." "83-year-old warrior waging a fight alone", read the poster. 

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray claimed that the political developments in Maharashtra could have the blessings of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar himself. "What has happened in the state is very disgusting. This is nothing but an insult to the voters of the state," Raj Thackeray said. "Sharad Pawar started all these things in Maharashtra. He first experimented with `Pulod' (Purogami Lokshahi Dal) government back in 1978. Maharashtra had never witnessed such political scenarios ever.
All these things started with Pawar, and ended with Pawar," he added.

Days after leading a revolt and splitting NCP, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the majority of party MLAs are with him. "We and Chief Minister Shinde have worked together in the cabinet. We have experience with 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," he added.