‘Stay away from Pawars’: Ajit faction proposes breakaway to NCP-SP MPs
In response, angered Pawar is said to have contacted senior leaders of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, asking them to back off from further attempts.
3 min read
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (File Photo) In what is being seen as an attempt to create yet another rift within the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP), seven of its eight sitting MPs were approached by leaders of the Ajit Pawar-led faction with an offer to break away and join their camp.
The proposal, made in late December, suggested that all MPs—except the father-daughter duo of Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule—would be welcomed into the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and rehabilitated.
However, the offer was swiftly rejected, with sources claiming that the move angered Sharad Pawar, who is said to have reprimanded Ajit Pawar’s leaders for their actions. The development fuelled speculation that following the NCP(SP)’s poor performance in the recent Assembly elections, many leaders, particularly MPs, were reconsidering their political allegiances.
“A proposal was presented to the Lok Sabha MPs of the NCP-SP, offering them the chance to join the ruling party without our president Sharad Pawar and working president Supriya Sule. They rejected it,” said a senior leader familiar with the ongoing developments.
According to the source, the proposal came from senior figures within the Ajit Pawar camp and was immediately dismissed by the MPs. “This would have resulted in yet another split in the party, and Sharad Pawar took the matter very seriously,” the source added.
In response, angered Pawar is said to have contacted senior leaders of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, asking them to back off from further attempts.
NCP-SP MP and working president of the party Supriya Sule declined to comment.
The revelation comes amid rumours about a potential merger between the two factions. Last week, NCP state president and Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare addressed questions regarding the merger of the two factions. “We are in an alliance with the NDA at the Centre and have secured a strong mandate in Maharashtra under Ajit Pawar’s leadership as part of the Mahayuti. Our agenda is clear. We will continue with the government and remain committed to the NDA and Mahayuti, with no rethinking on this matter,” he stated.
When asked whether a reunion was possible if the Sharad Pawar-led NCP shifted its political stance, Tatkare responded, “There are no conditions in politics, and I cannot answer such a question.”
Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar’s mother, Asha Pawar, visited the temple town of Pandharpur last week, where she prayed for a reunion between Ajit and his uncle, Sharad Pawar. “All disputes should end and Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar should reunite,” Asha Pawar told reporters after visiting the Vithal-Rukmini temple. She also prayed for “all wishes of Ajit Pawar” to be fulfilled.
The NCP (SP) is set to hold a two-day statewide meeting of its party cells and office-bearers to review its poor performance in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections. The party is also expected to discuss potential changes in leadership roles within some of its affiliated organisations.
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