Maharashtra: Big Blow to Ajit Pawar As 4 Top Leaders Quit NCP After Lok Sabha Poll Debacle

In a big blow to Ajit Pawar’s NCP, four top leaders resigned from the party and are likely to join the faction led by Sharad Pawar later this week. The leaders who left the party include Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief Ajit Gavahane, Pimpri student wing chief Yash Sane, as well as former corporators Rahul Bhosale and Pankaj Bhalekar.

This comes right after the Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. In the weeks leading up to these exits, there was much speculation about some leaders in this camp willing to return to the Sharad Pawar faction.

“I have quit the NCP… I have submitted my resignation to my party president,” Gavahane told The Indian Express.

According to the report published by The Indian Express, several other office-bearers, former corporators and leaders of the NCP are also planning to quit. “They are all supporting me,” Gavahane was quoted as saying.

Gavahane further said he will be holding a press conference on Wednesday (July 17) to announce the reason behind his decision to leave Ajit Pawar. But, he refused to comment on whether he will be returning to the Sharad Pawar fold. “You will know which party I am joining… I won’t reveal anything today,” he added.

Many in the party believe that Gavahane resigned after failing to secure a ticket for the Bhosari assembly constituency, as part of the seat distribution within the Mahayuti for the elections scheduled to be held later this year. He met Ajit a few days ago to convince him that the NCP should contest the Bhosari seat, which the BJP’s Mahesh Langde has won twice.

“Any leader or leaders quitting the party is a setback. But we are confident that Ajit Gavahane will stay with us. Ajit Gavahane is known for his proximity to our leader Ajit Pawar. And, therefore, we are sure he won’t take any decision in a haste,” NCP spokesperson told IE.

Last month, Sharad Pawar had said he will not be accepting those who wanted to “weaken” his party, but will take in leaders who will not “hurt” the party’s image.

A rebellion led by Ajit Pawar split the NCP into two factions, with him joining hands with the ruling Mahayuti comprising the BJP and Shiv Sena. He was appointed the deputy chief minister in the government led by Eknath Shinde, who had also engineered a split in the Shiv Sena leading to a successful coup and the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.

The shocking switchover of Ajit — important leaders like Praful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal also left Sharad Pawar — did not produce satisfactory results in the general elections as the party could win only one seat while his uncle secured eight.

Did Sunetra Pawar meet Sharad Pawar?

Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar has given rise to much speculation that she may have met Sharad Pawar at Modibaug area in Pune on Tuesday (July 16). The estranged uncle of her husband has a house in the area, which is among the most prestigious residential projects in the city.

“Sunetra Pawar went to Modibaug today to meet the sister of deputy CM Ajit Pawar,” said NCP functionary Suraj Chavan. But, this visit set political circles abuzz as it came a day after senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal met Sharad Pawar.

“Sharad Pawar is the senior most member of the Pawar family. So, if she met him, I think she did a very good thing,” Bhujbal said.

Maharashtra industries minister and leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Uday Samant said, “If Sunetra Pawar met Sharad Pawar today, only she can comment on it. But I want to make it clear that all is well within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.”

(With PTI inputs)