As Fight For NCP Continues, Sharad Pawar Launches Mission To Rebuild Party

Sharad Pawar, 82, will launch what he calls his mission to rebuild the party from the ground up. He will visit Nashik, Pune, Solapur and some parts of the Vidarbha region -- constituencies of Chagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Mundem and other rebel NCP MLAs.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last evening met with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for the second day in a row amid reports that Shiv Sena legislators had been reportedly upset after the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined the state government. Ajit Pawar's remark that he "wants to be the Chief Minister" had also created a flutter in political circles.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has claimed that Eknath Shinde has been asked to resign. "I have heard that Eknath Shinde has been asked to resign and there might be some change in the government," he told media.

Eknath Shinde, however, stressed that Ajit Pawar's entry into the ruling coalition posed no threat to him. "With our government now made up of three parties, the strength of our MLAs is more than 200. Our government is only getting stronger. We have the support of PM Modi and Amit Shah," said the Chief Minister.

Mr Fadnavis said that cabinet expansion will take place soon after another ally, Ajit Pawar, joined the ruling coalition in Maharashtra.

He asserted that his party doesn't engineer splits in other parties, but never stops those who want to come along. "The BJP does not break other parties, but there will be no opposition to those who believe in Modi's leadership and want to come along, " Mr Fadnavis said.

Senior NCP leader Praful Patel yesterday said that Ajit Pawar was unanimously appointed as party president on June 30 - days before Ajit Pawar's shock move of crossing over to the ruling alliance and taking oath as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister.

"The decisions taken by the Sharad Pawar group, expelling or disqualifying leaders of the Ajit Pawar faction, were illegal and not applicable," he told the media.

Ajit Pawar says his faction is the real NCP and has claimed the party name and symbol from the Election Commission. So far, he appears to have the support of 32 MLAs. Sharad Pawar has the support of 14. But he needs 36 MLAs, a two-thirds majority of the party's 53 legislators, before the poll body considers his claim.

Sharad Pawar has written to the election body, objecting to his nephew's claim for the party symbol. Sources indicated that Pawar Senior will take legal advice and confer with party leaders about the way ahead.