Mumbai:
The internal rift within the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party came to a head today, with a section meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah. It was followed by an internal meeting of the party. Another one — called by Sunetra Pawar — is scheduled for Tuesday, which would clarify how much support she has within the party.
Amid concern expressed by the party’s senior leaders in private, the NCP tried to play down the crisis.
“There is no discontent within the party… The Delhi meeting was pre-planned; all our leaders are united,” read a statement by NCP state chief Sunil Tatkare. At tomorrow’s meeting, “We will deliberate on the future course of action and the expansion of the organisation,” he added.
Putting an end to reports of a merger within the NCP, Tatkare said, “Discussions regarding a merger have already ended”.
The discussions he cited were held at the meeting with Amit Shah, who along with other BJP leaders, had suggested that the two factions of the NCP merge and stay as part of the NDA, sources said. But the NCP leaders were not on board with the plan.
At the core committee meeting held by Sunetra Pawar in the evening, it was decided that there is no question of any merger with the Sharad Pawar faction.
At the meeting, MLAs had expressed dissatisfaction regarding Parth Pawar’s style of functioning. Sources said the NCP leaders had emphasised that it is essential to carry everyone along and give respect to experience and seniority. Parth and Jay Pawar have assured the party that they will work in coordination with all senior leaders, sources said.
The intervention by the BJP was played down by Tatkare. “There is no discontent at any level within the party. The meeting in Delhi was scheduled well in advance. Today’s discussion focused primarily on the party’s role, its future direction, and organisational development,” he said.
Sources, however, said that besides the merger, the party’s internal issues and their effect on the Mahayuti government were also discussed. The BJP leadership is understood to have conveyed its concern over the way the party is being run and urged its leaders to resolve internal differences.
The NCP is upset that the finance portfolio, held by Ajit Pawar before his death, has not been passed onto the party.
Senior NCP leaders Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Dilip Walse Patil, Hassan Mushrif, Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde had met Shah in Delhi on Monday morning.
Following Pawar’s death amid talks of a merger with the Sharad Pawar faction, Sunetra Pawar was given the Deputy Chief Minister’s post that he held. But the ministerial portfolio was held by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Following the core committee meeting, Sunetra Pawar has called an urgent meeting of all party MLAs at 7 pm tomorrow at her official Devgiri residence in Mumbai. The number of MLAs who show up is being said to be a critical test for the party’s unity and leadership.
Tatkare, however, played down the meeting, saying such meetings are held to “seek the opinions of our MLAs… they have taken place in the past, during Ajit Pawar’s tenure and even earlier”.
“In the recent period, our leaders were occupied with various responsibilities, which is why these meetings could not be held. However, there is absolutely no dissatisfaction regarding party appointments or any other matter,” he added.
