Trouble seems to be brewing for the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Pune as the party's city unit president Deepak Mankar has offered to step down from his position over the denial of nomination to the state legislative council in the Governor's quota.
Seven new members of the council were administered the oath of secrecy on Tuesday, including two nominees of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, namely, Pankaj Bhujbal and Idris Naikwadi.
Mankar's announcement comes a day after several functionaries of the local unit of the NCP offered to resign in protest of the denial of nomination to Mankar in the appointment to the MLC post.
Mankar, however, said he would continue to support Ajit Pawar and would not leave him.
"For the last one-and-a-half years, we have been honestly working for the party. On the basis of our good work in the city, party workers and functionaries thought that I should be given an MLC seat as it was in the hands of Ajit dada (Pawar) to decide on three MLC seats," he said.
The appointments of Pankaj Bhujbal and Idris Naikwadi were done from the NCP quota, Mankar said, adding that his merit should be compared with those who have been given the post.
"Before taking any decision, we should have been consulted. Yesterday, the party workers gathered here to seek an explanation about where we lack, and tendered mass resignations," he added.
He said he should have been made an MLC on the basis of work done by the workers in the party's stronghold and by respecting their sentiments.
"We wanted the position of MLC to cement the party's footing in the city," he said.
Mankar said he would tender his resignation from the party position by Saturday.
"I will step down by Saturday, but I will not leave Ajit dada and will continue to work as a common party worker," he said.
During the Lok Sabha polls, the party workers worked honestly for BJP candidate Murlidhar Mohol and the NCP has a lion's share in his victory, he said.
"But how can I ask them to work for Mahayuti candidates during the state elections as they are disappointed," he said.
