The Day 4 of the crisis in the Nationalist Congress Party was marked by the revelation that Ajit Pawar's camp had removed Sharad Pawar from the party's top post two days before the rebellion became public. Ajit Pawar was elected the new NCP chief on June 30, his camp informed the Election Commission.
Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar expressed his ambition of becoming the chief minister while his uncle Sharad Pawar gave a point-by-point rebuttal to the rebels. Sharad Pawar has also called a meeting of the working committee in Delhi on Thursday.
The rift appeared last week when Ajit Pawar quit as the Leader of the Opposition and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government. He now shares the Deputy Chief Minister post with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis.
Here are the Highlights on Maharashtra Politics Crisis:
"After the darkest hour, comes dawn. So let's start once again with new hope," Sharad Pawar ends his long and emotional speech with a line from a poetry, with a hope for starting his party anew.
"Whatever you decided today, if you would have taken the decision by speaking to us, it would have been better. Remember what happened with these parties and I don't think something different would happen with you. Now they say if we can go with Shiv Sena, then why not with BJP? There's a difference between Shiv Sena and BJP. During Emergency, Balasaheb Thackeray backed Emergency. During election, Shiv Sena didn't appoint a single candidate and supported Congress. During Indira Gandhi's reign, Shiv Sena backed Congress. Yes, Shiv Sena also follows Hindutva, but they take everyone together, that's their Hindutva. BJP's Hindutva is about dividing people, poisonous, Manuwadi and dangerous. They divide people, that's BJP'S hindutva. In the state, we saw a lot of riots. It happened in Shahu Maharaj's Kolhapur, Nanded and other places. Everyone knows who was behind this riot. Wherever you aren't in power, divide people and come in power is what they believe in. People who divide on the basis of religion and caste, they can't be the one who loves the country. That's why we can't go with someone who believes in this," says Sharad Pawar.
"They now say that even Sharad Pawar had rebelled in the past, yes we did. We did with the support of all Congress leaders. They asked me to take the lead. The party wasn't BJP, it was Janta Party and because of them, under the leadership of Morarji Desai, the party was formed. Now they say what's wrong if we went with BJP. They gave example of Nagaland. Yes, in Nagaland, our 7 MLAs are with the BJP. Nagaland is a bordering state with another country. States that share the border with China and Pakistan, we have to think a lot. The other country could take some benefit, that's why we gave support from outside. Here they formed the government and gave this example, I cannot agree with this example," says Sharad Pawar.
A Deputy Chief Minister of BJP had earlier said that Vidarbh should be separate. He has been saying this again and again in the past. What happened now? Today, a few of our people went there. We aren't feeling good. 10 days ago, the same people said that we never saw such a Chief Minister in the history of Maharashtra. Now they are doing Namaskaar to the same Chief Minister," says Sharad Pawar.
"A person went to jail, we tried to get him out. During elections some people told us don't give him ticket, I said no, there has been injustice against him, we gave him ticket. When our government was formed, he (Chhagan Bhujbal) was the first person to take oath. I got a call 3 days back from him, when I asked what's happening, he said I will check and let you know. Later I saw him taking oath at 3 pm," says Sharad Pawar.
"Some people gave speeches today, they called me Guru. In today's meeting of theirs, the biggest photo they used was of mine. They used several posters across Maharashtra and used my photo. They know that it won't work without my photo. That's why they are using it. They call me Pandurang and guru and say that I didn't pay attention to them. This is funny," says Sharad Pawar.
"Now MLAs and MPs of the current government call us in private and say several things. I saw Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narsimha Rao, Manmohan Singh, MPs used to meet and express the administration issues of their areas and no one used to take it personally. Now no one says anything. How will the country run like this?" asks Sharad Pawar.
"In MP, PM Modi said that Congress did corruption, NCP did corruption of 70,000 crore. PM has a specialiity, he came to Baramati once and said he learnt from me how to run the government and the administration. Later, he made several allegations against me. If someone has done something wrong, take action against them. But they didn't take any action against anyone. He is the leader of a party, but he is also the leader of the country and he should think what he is speaking and if it is true. He doesn't do that. If NCP is bad, why did you take NCP in government? This government says whatever they want and create a atmosphere among the masses," says Sharad Pawar.
"We have to go ahead. There are a lot of challenges. I have worked with a lot of leaders in the central government. From Manmohan Singh to other leaders, I have worked with them. I have seen the way they work. In the last many years people used to find solution of the problems. I have been the Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times. My way of functioning used to be that even for a small decision, we used to speak to the people. If there's any issue with the decision, we would find a solution. This is not the attitude of the current government. We are not in the government, we are in opposition," says Sharad Pawar.
"Sharad Pawar has given many opportunities to a lot of them. But today many have switched sides and left the ideology of Phule and are sitting next to those who insulted Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule. When they had to take oath under Uddhav Thackeray in 2019, Mr Thackeray asked Mr Pawar to give him two names. Mr Pawar took Bhujbal's name first. Now there is a gang who is trying to steal the parties, first Shiv Sena and now NCP. Those they don't like, they are trying to finish them off," says Jayant Patil.
"We are unhappy that some are not with us. There could be any reason why they left but even during the struggles, Sharad Pawar has stood by us. Let me tell you one thing, I know it has been five years and a month for me, I told (Sharad Pawar) saheb, I haven't taken any holiday in these many years, I told him that I need some break. I have met a lot of workers in these years even went to all talukas and districts even where we never became victorious," says Jayant Patil.
"I went to the joint opposition meeting in Patna with Sharad Pawar and I felt like laughing when I saw the scene there. There were 17 opposition parties there, seven of them have only one MP in the Lok Sabha and there is one party which has no MPs. These parties claim they will bring change. This decision to join NDA was taken to protect interests of our nation and the party, and not for personal benefits," said Praful Patel.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar today said that he aspires to be the Maharashtra Chief Minister one day. His remark comes just days after he led a mutiny against his uncle and party chief Sharad Pawar.
The factional fight of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has reached the doorstep of the Election Commission with the group led by Ajit Pawar filing over 40 affidavits of MLAs and MPs in his support.
- Today whatever I'm, it's just because of Sharad Pawar. He is my ideal and there is no doubt about it
- There is a cycle, a new leadership comes up every 25 years
- Our dream is to make Maharashtra no. 1
- Switched for development, not personal gain
At least 28 MLAs from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appeared on stage with rebel Ajit Pawar who has led a mutiny against his uncle and party chief Sharad Pawar as both sides laid claim to the majority of its 53 Maharashtra legislators. Read more
The internal rift between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will play out at two meetings called by rival factions who claim to have the support of the party's legislators. While Sharad Pawar's NCP is banking on the 83-year-old's experience and popularity, the Ajit Pawar camp, sources said, is asking MLAs to make a "practical decision". Read more
Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) leader Sanjay Shirsat, says "In politics when our rival gang wants to join us, we have to take them in and that is what BJP did. After NCP joined us, people in our group were upset because some of our leaders will not get their desired position. It is not true that all our leaders are happy with NCP joining us. We have informed CM and Dy CM and they will have to resolve this issue...We were always against NCP and even today we are against Sharad Pawar. Udhhav Thackeray was used by Sharad Pawar as the CM. NCP (Sharad Pawar) used to run the government when Uddhav was the CM... Eknath Shinde will decide the course of action now"
#WATCH | Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) leader Sanjay Shirsat, says "In politics when our rival gang wants to join us, we have to take them in and that is what BJP did. After NCP joined us, people in our group were upset because some of our leaders will not get their desired position.... pic.twitter.com/IBLDV8i2Eg
- ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023
NCP MLA Rohit Pawar says "EVM machines are checked 5-6 months before Lok Sabha or state elections and 4 days ago Maharashtra officials have been instructed to start manufacturing EVM machines. This indicates that Lok Sabha elections and Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha can be conducted in December 2023. The main reason for this is the loss of BJP in Karnataka elections"
#WATCH | On Maharashtra political situation, NCP MLA Rohit Pawar (grand nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar) says "EVM machines are checked 5-6 months before Lok Sabha or state elections and 4 days ago Maharashtra officials have been instructed to start manufacturing EVM machines.... pic.twitter.com/rOzXHYx2lJ
- ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023
Supriya Sule, NCP Working President, urged party legislators and workers to attend the meeting called by Sharad Pawar today.