Pawar Vs Pawar: Sackings & Counter-Sackings In NCP Drama

Mumbai: A day after Ajit Pawar revolted and took oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday expelled five leaders, including senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel and MP Sunil Tatkare.

The NCP also moved to formally disqualify Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit and eight other MLAs who were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet on Sunday.

“The act of these leaders is against party discipline as well as party policy. Therefore, they are immediately dismissed from the membership of the party and from their respective posts,” NCP said in a statement.

NCP working president Supriya Sule, had earlier in an official letter addressed to NCP chief and her father Sharad Pawar requested their disqualification.

The rebel group of NCP also ‘acted’, declaring its own ‘group’ and ‘state unit’ leaders, and ‘sacking’ Jayant Patil, state chief of the Sharad Pawar-led faction.

It was almost as if Ajit Pawar was following the template set by breakaway Shiv Sena faction led by current CM Shinde.

Praful Patel, sacked from NCP a short while ago by Sharad Pawar, called it ‘structural changes’ and declared that Ajit has been appointed the ‘group leader’ of the party.

Interestingly, Praful said Pawar senior is the party’s national president.

“We request Sharad Pawar to accept the decision of majority in the party. We want his blessings,” said Praful.

Ajit added to the drama by spelling out the contingency plan in case of a crisis.

“If there’s any issue within the party, the Election Commission of India will decide who has the party and symbol,” he said. Again, an echo of the Shiv Sena break-up when Shinde got the party name and original bow-and-arrow symbol. It was a huge blow for Uddhav Thackeray faction.