Chinks surface in NCP armour

At the well-attended meeting of his supporters, Kokate declared that he would contest as a rebel candidate from the Sinnar assembly constituency,if the NCP nominated Dighole. He also lambasted Dighole for his selfish political moves in the past. Dighole, incidentally, has represented Sinnar in the State assembly for three successive terms first on a Congress S ticket, then on a Congress I ticket and in the 1995 polls as a rebel, when the Congress denied him a ticket. Dighole is an old associate of Sharad Pawar and after he got elected in 1995 as an independent, he became an associate member of the Shiv Sena and was inducted into the state cabinet as a minister of state. It is presumed by party workers that Dighole would be nominated by the NCP for the Sinnar assembly seat.

Kokate also pointed out in his speech that when Sharad Pawar formed the NCP, he was the first Congress leader from Sinnar to have joined the party.

On the other hand, Arjun Pawar, who was the tribal development minister in the Manohar Joshi cabinet and was subsequently dropped, is facing opposition from the local unit of the NCP in his Kalwan constituency. Pawar had been elected to the assembly in 1995 on a BJP ticket. The president of the Kalwan taluka unit of the NCP Dr J D Pawer has raised a flag of revolt against Arjun Pawar, accusing the latter as an opportunist lusting for power. Dr Pawar has issued a statement pointing out that long before Sharad Pawar was expelled from the Congress party, the Kalwan unit of the Congress party had supported him by dissolving the taluka unit.

Dr Pawar has stated that the Kalwan unit of the NCP would ensure the defeat of Arjun Pawar at all costs.

Curated For You

US travel ban on 39 countries comes into effect on January 1, 2026: A full list

Shark Tank judge invested Rs 5,600 at 21, 10 years later she holds a net worth of Rs 420 cr

BJP leads with 44 candidates winning unopposed; Mahayuti wrests 68 out of 69 seats