Mumbai: Four top leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra's Pimpri Chinchwad have reportedly resigned, dealing a massive blow to the faction led by Ajit Pawar following their poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. These leaders are expected to join the faction led by Sharad Pawar later this week.
Among those who have resigned is Ajit Gavhane, the chief of NCP's Pimpri-Chinchwad unit. Joining him are Pimpri Chinchwad Students' Wing chief Yash Sane and former corporators Rahul Bhosale and Pankaj Bhalekar, according to an NDTV report.
The resignations come amid speculation that some leaders from the Ajit Pawar camp are considering a return to Sharad Pawar's fold. Gavhane had openly expressed his desire to contest the Assembly election from the Bhosari constituency. However, since Ajit Pawar's group is currently allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, it is unlikely that the Bhosari seat will be allotted to the NCP, as it is currently held by BJP's Mahesh Landge.
Gavhane Had Confirmed He Would Join NCP (SP)
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In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal, Gavhane had earlier mentioned he would join Sharad Pawar's faction if he did not receive a ticket from Ajit Pawar. However, he denied having met Sharad Pawar or explicitly expressing his intention to contest from the Bhosari Assembly constituency. "I did not meet Sharad Pawar. I would not like to comment on anything at the moment. However, I am very clear on contesting the election," he stated.
When asked if he would contest as an Independent or join Sharad Pawar's faction if denied a ticket by Ajit Pawar, Gavhane firmly responded, "There is no question about contesting as an Independent. If I don't get a ticket, I will align with Sharad Pawar's party."
Sharad Pawar, in a statement last month, clarified that those aiming to weaken his party would not be accepted, but leaders who would not hurt the party's image would be welcomed. "Those who wanted to weaken the party would not be taken in. But those leaders who would help strengthen the organization and not hurt the image of the party would be taken in," he stated.
About NCP Split & Lok Sabha Poll Performance
The Pawar family experienced a political split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and NCP founder, Sharad Pawar. Sharad Pawar remained in the Opposition camp, while Ajit Pawar joined the Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and was appointed as his deputy.
Ajit Pawar's faction contested the Lok Sabha elections as part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but managed to secure only one seat in Raigad, while Sharad Pawar's faction won eight seats. This poor electoral performance has likely contributed to the current unrest within Ajit Pawar's camp, prompting several leaders to consider realigning with Sharad Pawar's faction.
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