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WATCH: Supporters Of Sharad Pawar And Ajit Pawar Get Into Scuffle Over Party Office In Nashik

July 4, 2023

Supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy chairman Minister Ajit Pawar clashed over the control of party office in Nashik on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported. Both sides chanted slogans. Those who supported Sharad Pawar alleged they were barred from going to the party office.

Earlier today, Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil has said the group led by Ajit Pawar has no right to remove him from the post. He also claimed that all MLAs of NCP (total 53) are with the party chief Sharad Pawar, as reported by the news agency PTI. This comes after the Ajit Pawar camp appointed Sunil Tatkare as the Maharashtra NCP president in place of Jayant Patil. It also asked the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad from membership of the House.

“The faction led by (Ajit Pawar) is a ‘Notionalist’ Party. They have no right to remove me from the post (of NCP state unit president),” Jayant Patil told reporters, as reported by PTI. He also said he had taken action against the nine MLAs who have joined the government.

After Sunday’s drama, NCP president Sharad Pawar led the charge on Monday, sacking party’s working president Praful Patel and general secretary and treasurer Sunil Tatkare after both sided with Ajit Pawar in his revolt. The NCP supremo’s action came soon after NCP working president Supriya Sule, in a letter, demanded disciplinary action against Patel, known to be a close aide of Sharad Pawar, and Tatkare, whose daughter Aditi took oath as minister on Sunday.

In a tit-for-tat move, the Ajit Pawar faction appointed Tatkare as the Maharashtra NCP president in place of Jayant Patil. It also asked the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad from membership of the House. Addressing a press conference, Praful Patel announced Ajit Pawar as the leader of the NCP legislature party.