The political crisis in Maharashtra triggered by Ajit Pawar's rebellion in his uncle Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) entered Day 4 on Tuesday. In the latest development, the two rival camps have called meetings of their MLAs on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the faction led by Ajit Pawar - the state's new Deputy Chief Minister - inaugurated a new party office near the secretariat. His camp's Praful Patel, an MP, today questioned the Opposition's chances in the next year's national elections, during an interview with NDTV.
On the other side, NCP founder Sharad Pawar today asked those who "betrayed" his ideology not to use his photograph.
Here are the Highlights on Maharashtra Crisis:
#WATCH | Sharad Pawar and I will talk to Uddhav Thackeray and we will conduct a tour of the entire Maharashtra together. We are planning to uproot the dictatorship rule of the BJP from Maharashtra's soil: Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/B81R5Ruzfm
- ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2023
#WATCH | A scuffle erupted between supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar over party office in Nashik today pic.twitter.com/LvVsyomCjz
- ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2023
Both factions of the NCP are going to hold separate meetings tomorrow. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will chair a meeting with MLAs and state and district chiefs of his faction at 11 am. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar too has called a meeting of all leaders at 1 pm.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Those who have people's support are always stronger. The people of Maharashtra are with us. I haven't had any talks with him (Ajit Pawar): Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat pic.twitter.com/JCvlH8900s
- ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2023
Mr Narwekar clarified that he doesn't have any letter from any faction where they are saying they are a separate faction. Both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar have claimed the entire party is with them.
#InPics | Maharashtra Chief Minister and his two deputies at a cabinet meeting today #EknathShinde #DevendraFadnavis #AjitPawar #MaharashtraPolitics pic.twitter.com/9CNoEPq7OP
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 4, 2023
The BJP's move to bring in Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs into the Maharashtra government comes at a time the party is holding a series a meetings to strengthen its organisation and narrative.