Four leaders from Ajit Pawar NCP quit after drubbing in Lok Sabha polls

Mumbai: In a major jolt for the Ajit Pawar faction, 28 members of NCP including leaders and office bearers from Pimpri-Chinchwad joined the Sharad Pawar faction. NCP leader Ajit Gavhane, who was Pimpri-Chinchwad president amongst 28 members, has shifted loyalties to Sharad Pawar. The cash-rich Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has long been under the control of Ajit Pawar.

The development assumes political significance in the backdrop of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election, which us expected to be held in October this year. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency by Supriya Sule.

Besides Gavhane, former MLA from Bhosari Assembly constituency Vilas Lande, student leader Yash Sane, former corporators Pankaj Bhalekar and Rahul Bhosale quit the Ajit Pawar-led party to join the NCP (SP) in the presence of Sharad Pawar.

In a response to the query over “Ghar Vapasi” of Ajit Pawar, the NCP founder said that there is a place for everyone in the home but whether there is place in the party or not, it would not be his decision. “During the crisis time, my colleagues stood firmly with me. I will ask them first and if they are ready, then we will decide whether to allow anyone to return,” Mr. Pawar said.

Two days ago, Maharashtra Cabinet minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal met the NCP founder Sharad Pawar at his residence in Mumbai.

Speaking about his meeting with Mr. Bhujbal, Sharad Pawar said that the minister had arrived at his home in Mumbai asking him to work for improvement of the current situation over the reservation issue. “Bhujbal came to meet me. I had fever because of which I took two days off. I was told that he has come, that he has been waiting for an hour and does not want to leave. After that, I met him and he spoke to me at length. He asked me to work together to improve the social environment in Maharashtra, to work together in the state’s interest,” the veteran Maratha politician said.

The 83-year-old leader also said he did not know about the discussion of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange and what assurance has been given to Jarange and OBC activists. “Unless the promises, which were made to them, do not come in the public domain, we will not attend the meetings called by the government. This is our stand,” he said.