4 Top Leaders Quit Ajit Pawar's Party In Major Setback After Poll Drubbing

Four top leaders have resigned from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra's Pimpri Chinchwad, dealing a major blow to the party led by Ajit Pawar after a poor show in the recent Lok Sabha elections. They are likely to join the party led by Sharad Pawar later this week.

Ajit Gavhane, the chief of NCP's Pimpri-Chinchwad unit, is among those who have submitted their resignations to Ajit Pawar. The others are Pimpri Chinchwad Students' Wing chief Yash Sane, and former corporators, Rahul Bhosale and Pankaj Bhalekar.

The resignations come amid a buzz that some leaders in the Ajit Pawar camp are willing to return to the Sharad Pawar fold.

Sharad Pawar said last month those who wanted to "weaken" his party would not be taken in, but he would accept leaders who would not "hurt" the image of the party.

"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 had said.

The Pawar family split into two political parties after a rebellion by Ajit Pawar against his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar in 2023. While Sharad Pawar remained in the Opposition camp, Ajit Pawar joined the Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and was rewarded with the post of his deputy.

Ajit Pawar's party contested the Lok Sabha elections as part of the BJP-led NDA, but could win just one seat - Raigad - while his uncle's party bagged eight.