Pawar tells partymen to strengthen NCP in Mumbai

Stressing the need for strengthening the organisation in the city,he said Mumbai’s social and political fabric is different from the rest of the country. “The need of the hour is to take into confidence minorities including linguistic minorities,and the youth,” he said.

Party spokesman Madan Bafna said Pawar discussed strategies to revamp the Mumbai unit with a view to improving the party’s political strength in the country’s commercial capital. Bafna said Pawar held one-on-one meetings with ministers,legislators and senior office bearers on steps to be taken to resurrect the party in Mumbai.

Sources said about 30 to 35 senior leaders and office-bearers gave their opinion on steps to be taken to revive the party in Mumbai and their views on a new president to head the city unit.

Sources said incumbent president Narendra Verma may be retained or MLC Kiran Pawaskar or Mumbai North East MP Sanjay Patil may be given an opportunity to lead the city unit.

“Since 1999,NCP has little significance in Mumbai’s political scene. If we need to improve our numerical strength in the state Legislature,our performance in Mumbai needs to improve,” sources who attended the meeting said. This is the first in a series of steps being taken by the party to strengthen itself for the 2014 elections.

On many occasions earlier,Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had spoken of the need for the NCP to improve itself in Mumbai and Vidarbha to increase the party’s numerical strength in the Assembly.