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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Power struggle in NCP intensifies

Mumbai: The Zero FIR lodged in Bengaluru by NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar has become the news flashpoint for a larger battle over the party’s future, exposing deep divisions within the Pawar family and the Nationalist Congress Party. Rohit’s accusations against state president Sunil Tatkare and working president Praful Patel, Tatkare’s sharp counterattack, and DCM Sunetra Pawar’s intervention have laid bare a bitter struggle for control in the aftermath of Ajit Pawar’s death. Chief Minister...

Power struggle in NCP intensifies

Mumbai: The Zero FIR lodged in Bengaluru by NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar has become the news flashpoint for a larger battle over the party’s future, exposing deep divisions within the Pawar family and the Nationalist Congress Party. Rohit’s accusations against state president Sunil Tatkare and working president Praful Patel, Tatkare’s sharp counterattack, and DCM Sunetra Pawar’s intervention have laid bare a bitter struggle for control in the aftermath of Ajit Pawar’s death. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, meanwhile, dismissed the FIR as politically motivated, calling it “an attempt by the Karnataka government to malign Maharashtra’s image.” The controversy began on Tuesday when Rohit Pawar filed a Zero FIR in Bengaluru, alleging irregularities and conspiracies within the party. Zero FIRs are typically registered when victims cannot reach the jurisdictional police station but want immediate action. Rohit today followed up with a scathing attack on Tatkare and Patel, accusing them of trying to hijack the party after Ajit Pawar’s demise. He claimed the two leaders had written to the Election Commission earlier this year, seeking to vest sweeping powers in Patel as working president, sidelining the Pawar family’s leadership. Baseless Charges Tatkare hit back strongly, dismissing Rohit’s charges as baseless and accusing him of attempting to seize control of the party himself. In a veiled warning, Tatkare said, “We have detailed information of what happened after post-mortem in Baramati hospital. Stop the nonsense else we too have many things to speak about.” His remarks suggested that the feud was not only political but also deeply personal, rooted in the Pawar family’s legacy in Baramati. Amid the escalating war of words, Ajit Pawar’s widow, Sunetra Pawar, stepped in to assert her authority. Recognised as the NCP’s national president, she wrote to the Election Commission asking it to disregard any correspondence from Patel and Tatkare. Her intervention underscored the Pawar family’s determination to retain control of the party and prevent parallel claims of leadership. The issue quickly spilled into the Maharashtra legislature, where CM Fadnavis addressed the controversy. He explained that Zero FIRs are meant to help victims register complaints when they cannot reach the local police station, but insisted that the FIR in this case was politically motivated. “This is the Karnataka state government’s attempt to malign Maharashtra’s image,” Fadnavis said.

Discussions on among allies for govt formation: Ajit Pawar

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar on Monday said discussions were underway among the Mahayuti partners to finalise a formula for the new government formation in the state.


Speaking to reporters at Karad in Satara district, Pawar also acknowledged the contribution of the government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides financial assistance to women, in the Mahayuti's victory in the just-concluded state assembly polls.


The NCP leader also assured that the alliance was working cohesively following its resounding victory in the state assembly elections.


Pawar paid tributes to Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan at his memorial in Karad on his death anniversary.


In the state poll results declared on Saturday, the Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged an impressive 230 of the 288 assembly seats.


The focus has been on BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is being seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time, as his party bagged 132 of the 149 seats it contested in the state.


Notably, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said his party legislators feel Eknath Shinde should continue as the chief minister of the state, where the ruling Mahayuti scored a landslide victory in the assembly polls.


Ajit Pawar said, "We will decide what formula to work out on the cabinet formation among the three parties."


Reflecting on the elections, he acknowledged the contribution of the Ladki Bahin scheme in the Mahayuti's win.


"We cannot ignore that Ladki Bahin helped us in this election. We are grateful to them (women voters)," he said.


Defending the scheme, Pawar, who is also the state finance minister, further said, "Had I been opposed to the Ladki Bahin scheme, I would not have presented it in the House. I discussed the scheme with several retired finance officers before finalising it."


Pawar also dismissed concerns raised by some opposition leaders over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), pointing out that polls in states like Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana, governed by their political opponents, have been conducted with the same system.


Commenting on members of same families contesting against each other during the elections, Pawar expressed annoyance over repeated questions on it.


He then asked, "Why was my close nephew fielded? Atram's own daughter was fielded against him, and even Rajendra Shingne faced a similar challenge. I don't want to comment further on this. I have got tired of apologising for fielding my wife against Supriya. Yugendra was in business, then why was he prepared to contest against me?"


In the Baramati assembly seat, Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar.


In Aheri seat, NCP leader Dharamraobaba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree Atram contested against him on NCP (SP) ticket.

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