Mumbai: In a ditto replay of Shiv Sena rebellion drama, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) rebel leaders Sunday ruled out any split in the part even as they joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra.
In an event of political drama taking place over a year after Uddhav Thackeray led MVA government was dislodged after rebellion by the Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, Leader of Opposition and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the one-year old government, and took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.
Along with Ajit Pawar, 09 other NCP MLAs also became ministers. They are Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Aditi Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Ramraje Nimbalkar, Sanjay Bansode, Dharmrav Baba Atram, and Anil Bhaidas Patil.
“There is split in the party. We have become part of the government as a party and after a unanimous decision”, Ajit Pawar said while addressing a press conference.
Ajit Pawar was flanked by Chhagan Bhujbal and Praful Patel.
Interestingly, Ajit Pawar and other NCP leaders met Maharashtra governor with a letter informing him about their decision to join the government after a meeting of party MLAs at the former’s residence where Party President Supriya Sule too was present.
Ajit Pawar was reportedly upset after NCP Supremo made his daughter Supriya Sule party president. He had even requested his uncle to divest him of the post of Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.
Sharad Pawar who is currently in Pune said he was not aware of the rebellion in the party.
Ajit Pawar and his supporter MLAs now claim they are the real NCP, also saying they will fight for the party symbol and also claim the name of the party.
“We have joined the government as NCP. When the party can join Shiv Sena which is considered as a “communal party”, why can’t we join BJP”, the rebel NCP leaders said.
They also ruled out their decision to join the government is out of fear of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) raids.
Sharad Pawar meanwhile said people will decide about the fate of the party.
"To whom NCP belongs will be decided by the people", Sharad Pawar said in his first reaction after the rebellion in the party he founded.
He also said he will restructure the party with the help and support of the people. Pawar said this as supports pour in for him from party leaders like Anil Deshmukh, Jayant Patil and others who said they are with the party.
Unfazed by the rebellion, the Nationalist Congress Party state President Jayant Patil (NCP) named senior leader and National General Secretary Jitendra Awhad as the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) new Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and also the new Chief Whip.
Meanwhile, old reports of IT and ED raids on Ajit Pawar, Hasan Mushrif and other NCP leaders who are facing corruption and money laundering charges are being digged-up and shared on social media.
“The BJP washing machine will now clean-up these corrupt politicians”, a social media user wrote.
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