Days after Congress objected to the decision of the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party to select NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad as the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) has now taken a step back and said that whoever has the majority has the right to claim or has the prerogative to choose the leader of the opposition. NCP leader from the Sharad Pawar faction Clyde Crasto made this statement on 6th July 2023 in an interaction with the media.
Clyde Crasto said, “Congress has all the right to discuss the LoP. We have also made it very clear, our party president Sharad Pawar had also made it very clear that whoever has the majority has the right to claim or has the prerogative to choose the leader. So, if the Congress is even thinking of that, there is nothing wrong in it.”
After around 40 NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar defected and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) government in the state on Sunday, July 2, 2023, NCP leader Jitendra Awhad was named the leader of the opposition in the state assembly by the Sharad Pawar faction. But Congress then came ahead with its objection to the new leader of the opposition, as the Congress party became the largest opposition party in the house now. Congress questioned how NCP can appoint LoP when it has been reduced to just 13 MLAs. The NCP has now backtracked and said that discussions will be held and the parties will then arrive at some conclusion.
Ramdas Athawale meets Ajit Pawar
Meanwhile, the Republican Party of India (Athawale Group) leader Ramdas Athawale met Ajit Pawar in Mumbai. In a media interaction after the meeting, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said, “I met Ajit Pawar today. We welcomed him and congratulated him on behalf of the RPI. Ajitdada has showcased great courage. Ajitdada has taken the correct decision. I have been with him and Sharad Pawar for many years in the past. But later I joined the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena. One must change his thoughts with time. It is not right to keep ranting about the casteist issues every now and then.”
Ramdas Athawale added, “PM Narendra Modi is taking everyone together. Be it a Hindu, Muslim or a Dalit, PM Modi enjoys the support of everyone. For the first time, a person from the OBC class has become the Prime Minister of the country. The BJP is elected to power because it gets votes from every section of society. The BJP got 303 seats in 2019. In the upcoming 2024 elections too, Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister and I am sure that we will get 325 to 350 seats.”
Ramdas Athawale said, “Ajit Pawar told me that he had this thought in mind for quite some time. He said that he respects Sharad Pawar. He is our senior leader. 2-3 meetings within NCP were also done to come together with the BJP but no conclusion was drawn.”
Chhagan Bhujbal asserts the legal accuracy of the Ajit Pawar faction
On the other hand, Chhagan Bhujbal – a senior NCP leader in the Ajit Pawar faction has clarified that Ajit Pawar took this decision only after carefully checking the legal aspects involved. Chhagan Bhujbal said, “When we decided to join the government under Ajit Pawar’s leadership, we took a decision only after discussing what legal matters we would have to face. All the legal experts told us that if we go this way, there will be no disqualification decision against the MLAs with us. After discussing with two to four legal experts, we were convinced, only after which we have taken steps to join the government.”
Bhujbal further said, “We have sent documents to the Election Commission well before joining the government. We have recognised Ajit Pawar as the national president. We have also mentioned that Ajit Pawar is the head of the party and will continue to be so. This arrangement has been made according to the constitution of the party, and the rules of the Election Commission regarding the prevailing political parties. Ajit Pawar will be the national president of the party.”
Clarifying more about Sharad Pawar’s resignation in May 2023 and backtracking from his decision to resign Chhagan Bhujbal said, “We tried to convince Sharad Pawar. Supriya Sule was also there. We also spoke to Jayant Patil a month ago. Ajit Pawar revealed many things in his speech on Wednesday. We tried to find a way till the end, but Sharad Pawar did not listen to us.”
Regarding Sharad Pawar’s repeated attempts to join hands with the BJP and change the decisions at the last moment every time, he said, “Sharad Pawar has repeatedly talked to the BJP and twisted the word. If you start running the party only with the advice of two to four people, other members find a way. That’s what’s happened in the Nationalist Congress Party.”
Rohit Pawar criticises defected NCP leaders
In a tweet this morning, NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, who is with Sharad Pawar, took a dig at Dilip Valse-Patil who went with Ajit Pawar. He mentioned that Sharad Pawar gave various responsibilities and portfolios to Dilip Walse-Patil which includes personal assistant to Sharad Pawar, seven-time MLA, higher and technical education minister, energy minister, medical education minister, finance and planning minister, assembly speaker, labour and state excise minister, home minister.
Rohit Pawar tweeted, “What more do you need? Maharashtra knows you as a leader nurtured by Sharad Pawar like his own son. You were among the ones that Saheb trusted the most. After reading all this, people will say that such injustice should be done to us too. Maharashtra wants to know what a sudden crisis happened that you had to bury your loyalty and give up your ideology. Such a rebellion was not expected from a senior leader like you just for the sake of power.”
Rohit Pawar added, “We have the power to overcome every crisis. The whole of Maharashtra is standing on the side of Sahyadri and this Sahyadri will stand with new vigour and new strength. But Valse-Patil Saheb, can you forgive yourself for your actions?”
Rohit Pawar also criticised Praful Patel for joining the Ajit Pawar faction. He enlisted the political achievements of Praful Patel and wrote in the tweet, “Mr Praful Patel by Pawar Saheb’s grace you rarely needed to go to people. Your ‘aeroplane’ was more in the air than on the ground and most of the time your work was only to sign forms. That’s why you never knew the value of votes and the paternal love of Saheb.”
Since Sunday, the political landscape of Maharashtra has been in turmoil following the unexpected swearing-in of senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar as the state’s deputy chief minister. In a significant move, Ajit Pawar, accompanied by eight other MLAs, joined the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde, asserting his claim over the Nationalist Congress Party, and its election symbol. He is believed to have the support of over 30 MLAs from the party.
The split is real – Prithviraj Chavan
Maharashtra’s former chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said, “This shows the bitterness that was setting in for years. Maybe there were a few faults in Pawar Saheb’s management of the party. Maybe he sidelined people to push forward his daughter, but this family dispute is affecting the state’s politics. So, I said that the split is real and there is bitterness.”