NCP rests old guards, eyes results and growth

In his address to the party workers on Sunday afternoon, Ajit Pawar said that the MLAs who would be given the opportunity as ministers have a responsibility to travel across the state, eyeing the upcoming civic polls.

“This government aims to conduct the civic polls at the earliest…Those who will get the responsibility should now travel across as much as possible and ensure better prospects for the party,” Pawar said, hinting the new batch of ministers have a task chalked out ahead of them.

In a surprise move, the party dropped two heavyweights — Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse-Patil — both known as Sharad Pawar loyalists since the formation of the NCP. They have not been dropped ever from the cabinet since 1999 till 2014. After the split in the NCP, both the leaders joined Ajit Pawar-led party and owing to their seniority, both were included in the cabinet in a government led by CM Eknath Shinde.

By sidelining these two leaders, Ajit Pawar has erased the remanants of uncle Sharad Pawar from the cabinet.

The choice of ministers has also shown that the NCP under Ajit Pawar is trying to establish and work on new caste connections in different regions. With the sidelining of Bhujbal, Ajit Pawar loyalist Dhananjay Munde will now be projected as a new OBC face of the party.

Another staunch Ajit Pawar loyalist Dattatreya Bharne — a Dhangar leader from Pune district — will be projected to handle the Dhangar protests demanding Scheduled Tribe status. Simultaneously, tribal leader Narhari Zirwal from North Maharashtra who staunchly opposed this demand will play party’s tribal face in the state.

Hasan Mushrif is the lone Muslim face in the cabinet. The party has also tried to maintain the regional balance by giving a chance to Babasaheb Patil — a Maratha — from Marathwada’s Latur. Indraneel Naik from Pusad in Vidarbha’s Yavatmal hails from powerful Naik family, with powerful presence in Banjara community.