Page 14 - Sharad Pawar

Maharashtra Cong convenes meeting, discussion on Oppn leader's post likely

Maharashtra Congress has convened a meeting of its legislators on Tuesday where the issue of staking claim to the post of Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly may come up for discussion, a party leader said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary HK Patil will attend the meeting. The post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) fell vacant after Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar resigned on Friday. He joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday as deputy chief minister while eight other NCP MLAs took oath as ministers. Notably, the NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has appointed MLA Jitendra Awhad as the LoP. Sharad Pawar on Monday said the Congress, a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, was justified in claiming the post of LoP. "The Congress has convened a meeting of its legislators on Tuesday where deliberations are likely to be held on staking claim to the position of Leader of Opposition," Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said on Monday. Thorat cl

Yet to ascertain whether NCP in govt or Oppn: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has said he is yet to ascertain whether the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is a part of the Shiv Sena-BJP government or is still in the Opposition. On Sunday, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the outfit 24 years ago after quitting the Congress. Besides Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde cabinet. Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Narwekar said his office has not yet received any petition mentioning about a split in the party. I am yet to ascertain whether the NCP is a part of the state government or is still in the Opposition bloc. I will go through the details available before me and take a call on it," he said. Ajit Pawar was the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly before he took oath

It's a valid demand if Congress asks LoP position, says Sharad Pawar

'Many from there (Ajit Pawar's side) called me and said most of them are still with the original ideology/policies of the NCP and they will declare their stand at the right time,' Pawar said

NCP disqualifies nine MLAs, Ajit Pawar says Sharad Pawar still party chief

The dramatic turn of events continued further as Sharad Pawar removed party vice president Praful Patel and MP Sunil Tatkare from the party for indulging in anti-party activities

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NCP workers visit party office in Mumbai to extend support to Sharad Pawar

A day after NCP stalwart Ajit Pawar joined the Maharashtra government as deputy chief minister with some senior leaders, several workers of the party visited its south Mumbai office and extended their support to patriarch Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar, however, has asked his colleagues to refrain from making any public statements. Several NCP leaders and workers from districts and tehsils neighbouring Mumbai rushed to the party office to extend their support to the Pawar senior. Former state home minister Anil Deshmukh and several others have posted their pictures with Sharad Pawar on social media with the tagline: Saheb, always with you. Meanwhile, NCP state unit president Jayant Patil has suspended party general secretary Shivajirao Garje who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Ajit Pawar on Sunday. NCP Lok Sabha member from Shirur, Amol Kolhe, who was present at Raj Bhavan a day earlier, on Monday returned to the Pawar camp. Sometimes the head makes a mistake, but the heart never,

Sharad Pawar strikes back, sacks NCP working prez Praful Patel, MP Tatkare

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday sacked party's working president Praful Patel and Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare, who have sided with Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in his rebellion, for engaging in "anti-party activities. The action comes a day after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government as deputy chief minister along with eight other NCP MLAs who were inducted as ministers. Tatkare's daughter Aditi was among the ministers who took oath on Sunday. Sharad Pawar, in a tweet, said, "I, as the National President, of Nationalist Congress Party hereby order the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the Register of Members of NCP Party for anti-party activities. He tagged Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP who was appointed as NCP working president last month, and Tatkare in his tweet.

NCP moves disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar, issues notices

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has moved a petition before Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking disqualification of Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs who have taken oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led government. Jitendra Awhad, whom the NCP has appointed leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly after Ajit Pawar joined the ruling alliance, delivered the petition at Narwekar's residence late Sunday night, as per sources. When contacted, Narwekar's office confirmed the petition has been received. On Monday, the Sharad Pawar-led party also issued notices to the nine MLAs asking them to refrain from misrepresenting before any forum the fact that they have any association with the NCP. The letter issued by state unit chief Jayant Patil said "any such misrepresentation would be absolutely unlawful and illegal". The letter also said the "party on Sunday has, therefore, initiated appropriate proceedings for formal disqualification of these MLAs from the .

Joining Maha govt a collective decision to provide stability: Praful Patel

NCP working president Praful Patel has said the decision to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government was a collective one which was taken by the party to provide political stability and ensure the development of Maharashtra and the country. Talking to reporters, Patel took potshots at Congress and Rahul Gandhi while referring to the Patna meeting of Opposition parties. Queried whether he has ditched NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Patel rolled up the window of his car and left without answering. He said the decision to join the state government was taken for the welfare and development of the state and the country. "The country has progressed under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the last nine years. I had been to Patna for the meeting of opposition parties. I saw what happened there. In the main opposition party Congress there is confusion about whether Rahul Gandhi is the leader or not. We don't know who runs that party," Patel told reporters. When asked to spell out the exact number of MLA

TN CM Stalin speaks to NCP chief Sharad Pawar, expresses solidarity

DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday expressed his party's support to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, whose party has suffered a split. Stalin spoke to the Maharashtra leader over the phone and conveyed the DMK's support to the NCP in taking on the BJP, sources said. On July 2, Sharad Pawar's nephew and NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP, taking eight party MLAs with him to ally with the BJP in Maharashtra. He took oath as deputy chief minister and the eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the alliance government led by the Shiv Sena breakaway Eknath Shinde and the BJP. In May, when Sharad Pawar said he would step down as NCP chief, Stalin was among those who appealed to him to reconsider his decision, as the veteran leader's heft would be required to forge a secular alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Sharad Pawar eventually withdrew his decision -- to resign from his position of national president of NCP -- in

Sharad Pawar rejects speculation that nephew's rebellion has his blessings

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday rejected speculation that his nephew Ajit Pawar's rebellion has his blessings. Addressing a press conference here, Sharad Pawar also said he has launched a statewide tour to strengthen the NCP and boost the confidence of party workers, unfazed by actions of a few leaders. On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister. Eight other NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-BJP government. Asked whether Ajit Pawar's rebellion on Sunday had his blessings, the NCP chief said, "It is a mean thing to say. Only those with a mean and low intellect can say this." "I have set out on a tour of the state and galvanize the cadre. They should not feel disillusioned with what some leaders have done," Sharad Pawar said.

NCP's Goa unit pledges support to Sharad Pawar after mutiny in party

In the wake of the political developments in Maharashtra that led to a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), its Goa unit on Monday pledged support for party chief Sharad Pawar. Talking to PTI, the party's state unit president Jose Philip D'Souza said the entire unit of Goa is strongly behind Sharad Pawar and will not break away from the NCP. NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the party to become the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago. Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The entire unit has faith in Sharad Pawar's capabilities to rebuild the party even after such moves by some leaders, D'Souza said. We have seen him do it some 15 years ago when a similar incident had happened, he said. D'Souza further said he will hold a meeting of his unit later in the day to discuss the political developments in

'Dirty tricks': Opposition hits back at BJP after NCP split in Maharashtra

Ajit Pawar's decision to abandon his uncle Sharad Pawar and join the BJP prompted many Opposition leaders to call the NCP veteran

Need to fight forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said there was a need to fight forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. Addressing NCP workers and supporters in Karad a day after Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become the deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde-led government, Sharad Pawar also said "some of our people fell prey to BJP's tactics to break other parties." "Attempts are being made to create communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. We need to fight forces that create fear among peace-loving citizens," he said. "We need to protect democracy in the country," he added. Sharad Pawar visited the memorial of his mentor and Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan in Karad and paid floral tributes to him. The 82-year-old leader's visit to late Chavan's memorial 'Pritisangam' on the occasion of Guru Purnima is being seen as a show of strength by him, a day after his nephew Ajit Pawar led a vertical sp

NCP leaders had hint of BJP's 'intention' to break party: Rohit Pawar

NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of party chief Sharad Pawar, on Monday claimed senior leaders had an inkling of BJP's "intention" to break the party, but were clueless about Ajit Pawar's swift move to join hands with the ruling alliance. Speaking to reporters in Maharashtra's Pune city, Rohit Pawar said he is firmly with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago. Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Reacting to the developments, Rohit Pawar, the grandson of Sharad Pawar's elder brother Appasaheb Pawar, said, We had no clue of Ajit Pawar joining hands with BJP. But the BJP was keen on breaking the NCP. We knew this much." "However, going by all these developments, we wonder whether people like me made a mistake by joining politics," he added. Asked about Ajit Pawa

NCP Chief Pawar to address public meeting in Maharashtra's Karad today

The NCP chief along with former Maharashtra Chief Minister YB Chavan are then expected to address party supporters in Karad

NCP files disqualification petition against 9 MLAs including Ajit Pawar

We have filed a disqualification petition with the speaker of the assembly, and we will send hard copies as soon as possible. This disqualification petition was filed against nine leaders

Developments in NCP won't impact Oppn unity: Supriya on Pawar's rebellion

Hours after NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government, party's working president and his cousin Supriya Sule on Sunday said the developments in the party will not impact the Opposition's unity. Addressing a press conference late night in Mumbai, Sule said her father and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's stature will rise further. "Our credibility will only rise after this," she said. She also said that Ajit Pawar may have different views, but she can never fight with her elder brother and that she will always love him as a sister. Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra as deputy chief minister, while eight other party leaders were inducted as ministers. Sule, whose elevation as party working president last month is said to have triggered Ajit Pawar's revolt, said since 2019 when he first joined the short-lived government led by Devendra Fadnavis to 2023, she has matured a lot with

Ajit Pawar doesn't have support of majority of MLAs as claimed: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday night said Ajit Pawar, who has joined the Eknath Shinde-led government as Deputy Chief Minister with some leaders, doesn't have the support of 36 MLAs as being claimed. NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto also claimed that the party working president Supriya Sule and state unit chief Jayant Patil are contacting all the 53 MLAs and the picture will become clearer by Monday. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly and Ajit Pawar needs the support of at least 36 legislators to not attract the provisions of anti-defection law. "Ajit Pawar doesn't have the support of 36 MLAs as being claimed," claimed Crasto. Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy CM in the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday afternoon, while eight other MLAs of NCP were sworn in as ministers. In the evening, sources cited a letter submitted to Raj Bhavan to claim that Ajit Pawar enjoys the support of more than 40 MLAs and over six of nine MLCs of his party.