New Delhi: A day after a rift broke out in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar suffered yet another setback. In Nagaland, all the seven NCP MLAs have extended their support to the Ajit Pawar faction. Along with the MLAs, office-bearers and workers will support Ajit Pawar. Nagaland (Nagaland) State President Vantung Odio arrived in Delhi and met National Working President Praful Patel and Maharashtra President Sunil Tatkare, said NCP Ajit Pawar faction’s national spokesperson Brajmohan Srivastava.
Earlier this month, Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs had joined the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition Government. He was supported by 53 MLAs and seven MLCs. NCP MLAs from Nagaland have also extended their support to Ajit Pawar’s camp. Srivastava said that Odio has handed over the affidavits of support to all the office-bearers, including 7 MLAs.
The decision was taken under the leadership of NCP National President Ajit Pawar and National Working President after a thorough discussion with the entire State Executive and District Office-bearers of the Nagaland Nationalist Party, Braj Mohan Srivastava stated in a press release.
On July 2, Ajit Pawar had revolted against his uncle Sharad Pawar. He joined the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)-BJP Government along with eight NCP MLAs. He has been made the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra by the NDA alliance. The NCP has been split into two factions due to Ajit Pawar’s decision.
Ajit’s decision follows Shinde’s decision
When Uddhav Thackeray was the CM, Eknath Shinde had hit out at the Shiv Sena and joined hands with the BJP. At that time, the Maha Vikas Aghadi Government had broken down. Shinde was not only the Chief Minister of Maharashtra but also garnered the support of most of the Shiv Sena MLAs. So Ajit Pawar has also taken the same decision. Now he too has the support of more MLAs than Sharad Pawar.
“NCP’s name and election symbol will remain with us,” Ajit Pawar had said when he became Deputy Chief Minister. In Nagaland, the NCP had formed the Government in alliance with the BJP. Will the NCP go with the BJP for the development of Maharashtra in the same manner?