Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance is glaring at more trouble as 28 leaders from Ajit Pawar’s NCP joined his uncle Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday.
The defection comes amid an internal crisis within the Mahayuti that includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). The alliance suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections.
Among the 28 leaders who have quit Ajit’s NCP are Ajit Gavahane, president of the Pimpri-Chinchwad unit, student leader Yash Sane, and two former corporators, Pankaj Bhalekar and Rahul Bhosale.
The development comes after cabinet minister and senior NCP leader from Ajit’s faction Chhagan Bhujbal met Sharad Pawar at his residence in Mumbai this week. It also comes months ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Sharad Pawar, in a press conference, said, “Bhujbal came to meet me. I had a fever. 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.”
Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar split from NCP in 2023 following which he joined the ruling Mahayuti alliance where he was vested the position of deputy chief minister, a post that he shares with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis.
‘Will keep happening’
Talking about the recent defections, Bhujbal said, “When the elections are near, it is normal that people go from here to there or there to here. They think that they will not get the ticket so they want to contest from another party… This will keep on happening for the next 3-4 months.”
Doors still open for Ajit Pawar?
As he welcomed the many leaders who joined NCP SP today, Sharad Pawar made it clear that if his nephew Ajit ever wants to come back to the folds of the party, the decision will rest on the entire NCP SP and not just him.
“There is a place for everyone in the house. I will not take personal decisions in the party,” Pawar said.
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Tide’s turning: Ajit Pawar loses 28 leaders to uncle Sharad’s NCP ahead of Maharashtra polls
