In a politically charged gathering in Baramati, Pune, on Sunday, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took a veiled swipe at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar, signaling a growing internal rift within the party.
Ajit Pawar, without explicitly mentioning Sharad Pawar, urged his supporters to shift their allegiance and vote for his chosen candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The deputy chief minister made a strategic appeal to the loyalty his supporters had shown to the senior leadership, insinuating that it was time for a change.
Making a subtle reference to Sharad Pawar’s age, Ajit Pawar remarked on the “last election,” hinting at a potential shift in leadership dynamics within the party. “You listened to a senior for so many years. Now listen to me and vote for the Lok Sabha candidate I am going to field,” he declared, emphasizing his candidacy as a way to make a statement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ajit Pawar has been a vocal critic of the status quo within the NCP since he split from the party last year. He joined the Eknath Shinde government with eight MLAs, consistently justifying his rebellion by advocating for a transition of power to the next generation. The ongoing legal battle between rival NCP factions, seeking disqualification of members from opposing camps, reflects the deepening internal conflicts.
The Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, is currently presiding over the cross-petitions related to the split within the NCP. The power struggle within the party has reached a critical juncture, with the Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut dismissing the ongoing hearing as a “farce” and predicting a similar fate for the NCP as his own party.
In the midst of this political turmoil, Ajit Pawar’s call for support to his Lok Sabha candidate adds a new dimension to the internal strife within the NCP, potentially reshaping the political landscape in Maharashtra.
