The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faced a major setback as 25 leaders, including Ajit Gavhane, chief of the Pimpri-Chinchwad unit, on July 17, defected to the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) or NCP(SP) ahead of the crucial Maharashtra assembly elections later this year.
Alongside Gavhane, senior NCP leaders Rahul Bhosale, Pankaj Bhalekar, and Yash Sane also quit the party and joined NCP(SP) at Sharad Pawar’s residence in Pune. Former corporators were among the others who switched sides.
Gavhane expressed confidence in Sharad Pawar’s leadership, stating, “We have joined Sharad Pawar’s party because we believe it is best positioned to lead Pimpri-Chinchwad and Maharashtra forward.”
Last July, the NCP split saw Ajit Pawar and several MLAs breaking away to join the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Gavhane criticised Ajit Pawar's and Sharad Pawar's developmental efforts, contrasting them with the BJP's initiatives in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a traditional NCP stronghold.
Gavhane aims to contest the assembly elections from the Bhosari constituency, currently held by BJP’s Mahesh Landge, who is expected to seek re-election. Pimpri-Chinchwad comprises three assembly seats – Bhosari, Pimpri, and Chinchwad.
Reacting to the defections, Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal commented, “It is normal for people to switch parties when elections are nearing, based on their prospects of securing tickets. This flux will likely continue for the next few months.”
Supriya Sule, the working president of NCP(SP), meanwhile, highlughted Sharad Pawar's extensive contribution to Maharashtra and national development over six decades. She highlighted that despite varying experiences within the party, they consistently uphold a strong ideology of development.
Sule expressed faith in Sharad Pawar's leadership and noted that even individuals from the opposition view him as a beacon of hope, which she believes is a significant factor in attracting new members to their party.
"Many within our party have diverse experiences but we remain steadfast in upholding a robust development ideology. Sharad Pawar, or Pawar sahab, has tirelessly dedicated himself to Maharashtra's and the nation's development for six decades. We place our trust in his ideology, which has also attracted hopeful supporters from across the political spectrum, contributing to our growing numbers", she noted.
The political developments highlight the growing dissent within the NCP following its poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where it secured only one seat out of 48. NCP functionaries have pointed to strained relations between Ajit Pawar and party leadership within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
In Maharashtra, the ruling Mahayuti coalition, led by the BJP and including the Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde, along with Ajit Pawar's NCP faction, secured 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats. On the other hand, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and Sharad Pawar's NCP faction, achieved victory in 30 seats.
With the Maharashtra assembly’s term set to expire on November 26, the state is scheduled to go to polls later this year, further intensifying political maneuvers and realignments.
With inputs from agencies
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