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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.

Omar welcomes Indus Water Treaty suspension, calls it “most unfair document” for J&K



SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday welcomed the Central government’s decision to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives. He also referred to the treaty as the “most unfair document” for the people of J&K.


“The Government of India has taken some steps. As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, let’s be honest. We have never been in favour of the Indus Waters Treaty. We have always believed it to be the most unfair document to people of J&K,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar after meeting representatives from the tourism, trade, and industry sectors. However, he noted that the long-term impact of this move is still uncertain.


The IWT suspension is part of India’s response to the brutal attack. Other actions include expelling Pakistani military attaches and shutting down the Attari land-transit point immediately.


When questioned about the impact of the April 22 attack on the region’s tourism industry, Abdullah dismissed concerns about monetary losses. “At this juncture, we are not counting rupees or paisa. Not one of the businessmen or stakeholders in the tourism industry who attended the meeting lamented the loss of business. Not one of them expressed any concern about what would happen to them.”


“Right now, our priority is to express solidarity with the bereaved,” he said, adding, “At some point in future, we may sit down to discuss the financial implications (of the attack) on J&K’s economy. But not a single stakeholder present in the meeting raised a demand for monetary relief for the losses they are suffering.”


Omar described the tourist exodus from J&K after the massacre as “heartbreaking”. The future of the Valley’s tourism sector remains uncertain, with widespread trip cancellations following the attack.

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