NCP split: Ajit Pawar faction moves petition seeking disqualification of 10 MLAs of Sharad Pawar camp

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• Sep 23, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The power struggle within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra has taken another dramatic turn as the Ajit Pawar faction submitted a...

Digital Desk: The power struggle within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra has taken another dramatic turn as the Ajit Pawar faction submitted a petition to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, demanding the disqualification of 10 MLAs affiliated with party founder Sharad Pawar.

The petition, filed on Thursday by Anil Bhaidas Patil, the chief whip of the Ajit Pawar faction, has named 10 prominent MLAs, including Jayant Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Rajesh Tope, Rohit Pawar, Anil Deshmukh, Prajakt Tanpure, Balasaheb Patil, Sunil Bhusara, Sandeep Kshirsagar, and Suman Patil. These MLAs are alleged to have violated party discipline by aligning with the rival faction.

This move comes in response to the earlier disqualification petition filed by the Sharad Pawar faction against 40 MLAs who had pledged their support to Ajit Pawar in July 1963, causing a significant split in the party. Following the split, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister, while eight other MLAs assumed ministerial roles in the Eknath Shinde government.

Both factions have been engaged in a fierce battle over the party's name and symbol, further complicating the political landscape in Maharashtra. The NCP currently holds 53 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, with some MLAs like Nawab Malik and Suman Patil maintaining a neutral stance amidst the internal turmoil.

The Maharashtra Assembly Speaker's decision on the disqualification petitions will be eagerly awaited as the NCP's internal strife continues to deepen, casting a shadow over the party's future prospects in the state.