MUMBAI: The warring factions of NCP will have separate shows of strength in Mumbai on Wednesday to demonstrate that the bulk of party legislators are with them.While the Sharad Pawar group has called a meet of MLAs and other party functionaries at 11 am at Y B Chavan Centre at Nariman Point, deputy CM Ajit Pawarhas summoned all the legislators at 1 pm to the Mumbai Education Trust in Bandra, which is run by NCP's cabinet member Chhagan Bhujbal.Read AlsoSidelined in party, Ajit Pawar's gameplan to take on uncle Sharad was in works for a yearAjit Pawar had been drafting a strategy to take on Pawar and cousin Supriya for a year, sources said.
NCP leaders said when Shinde was sworn in as CM on June 30, 2022, there was a plan for two dy CMs Fadnavis - Ajit.
However, it didnt work out as information was leaked to a top NCP leader.Ajit Pawar, Bhujbal among five NCP stalwarts under ED lensAt least five prominent faces in deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's team, which includes him, are under the scanner of ED for separate money laundering cases that range from bank loan fraud and corruption to fraudulent land transactions and also transactions linked to late drug smuggler IqbalLoss of Praful Patel, his most trusted hand and crisis manager, personal blow to Sharad PawarThe switch made by Patel, considered Sharad Pawar's most trusted ally, one who has never taken a political decision without his mentor's knowledge, is being viewed as a personal setback for the NCP president.
"I am not upset with anybody except Praful Patel and Tatkare," said Pawar.A senior leader of theAjit group told TOI that 42 MLAs have signed affidavits in support of Ajit Pawar.Senior Pawar's faction issues whip to all 53 MLAs, Ajit too invites allThe warring factions of NCP will have separate shows of strength in Mumbai on Wednesday.
A senior leader of the Ajit group told TOI that 42 MLAs have signed affidavits in support of Ajit Pawar and "by Wednesday, two or three more legislators will sign affidavits." The leader said the group had contacted most legislators and they had assured the netas that they would attend.On the other side, Jeetendra Awhad, named as chief whip by Pawar Senior's group, has issued a whip making it mandatory for all the 53 NCP MLAs to attend the meeting, failing which stern disciplinary action will be taken against them.
Awhad confirmed to TOI that he had issued the whip.03:58'Sharad Pawar is NCP president...':Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on NCP SymbolJayant Patil, state president of the NCP's Sharad Pawar group, said they have issued notices to 44 party MLAs asking them to attend.
The nine legislators who took oath as ministers in the Shinde-Fadnavis government on Sunday have not been asked to be there.Patil said, "Barring the nine who took oath, all the other MLAs are with us.
Wait for Wednesday, then we will know the actual strength of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
My office telephoned all the 44 legislators, sent them emails and WhatsApp messages.
We ensured each of those legislators has been contacted and has received the message well in advance.
We expect them to attend the crucial meeting and express their solidarity with NCP founder Sharad Pawar, who will guide us on the current political situation." Apart from sitting legislators, Patil said, notices have also been sent to former legislators, former and present Lok Sabha and Rajya members, state office-bearers, all district presidents and district observers, tehsil/block presidents and all heads of frontal organizations and state/district heads of various cells to attend the meeting.
It is likely that at the meeting, the group may take a pledge from party legislators and members that they support the leadership of NCP founder Sharad Pawar.02:45Almost entire NCP will be joining..., says Maharashtra Minister Sudhir MungantiwarThe Ajit Pawar faction too has invited all the NCP members of the legislative assembly and the council, members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
At that meeting, a resolution will be passed for the ratification of Ajit Pawar's leadership.
"Ajit Pawar had already declared that he represents the real NCP, and most of the legislators are with him," a leader from the Ajit faction said.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Sharad Pawar group for the Y B Chavan Centre gathering, sources said.Ajit Pawar had on Sunday submitted a letter to governor Ramesh Bais stating that he had the support of 40 NCP MLAs.
Two of the legislators who had earlier said they were with Ajit Pawar - Satara MLA Makrand Patil and North Karad MLA Balasaheb Patil - returned to Sharad Pawar's camp on Monday, along with Shirur MP Amol Kolhe.06:54Not 'googly', it is a robbery, Sharad Pawar on Ajit Pawar joining NDANCP split will strengthen opposition unity, says CongressCongress on Tuesday said the developments in Maharashtra following the split in NCP will strengthen the opposition unity, arguing that people have not liked the "ED-sponsored government" in the state and the "use of agencies" by the Centre to destabilise the political rivals.Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused NCP of corruption running into Rs 70,000 crore and also mentioned the irrigation scam, and within two days, the former irrigation minister (Ajit Pawar) has become the deputy CM alongside Devendra Fadnavis."They were at each other's throats earlier.
But now they have become good friends.
What do they have to say about corruption now? The BJP washing machine has started working in Maharashtra.
This is an ED-sponsored government," he said.03:00Major political coup in Maharashtra, NCPs Ajit Pawar joins NDA governmentWatchPawar vs Pwar: Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar and NCP chief Sharad Pawar call party meeting on same day