Friction within MVA after Shiv Sena (UBT) castigated Pawar for ‘failing’ to groom a successor in NCP

Problems between the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) also came to the fore after state Congress chief Nana Patole was angry with Mr Thackeray for including Congress general secretary Snehal Jagtap in the latter’s party during Mr Thackeray’s rally at Mahad in Raigad.

An edit in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece face – whose executive editor is MP Sanjay Raut, a loyalist of the Thackeray camp – said the NCP president had failed to groom a successor to lead the party after Mr Pawar, crediting the 82-year-old NCP supremo for his “masterstroke”. . BJP’s “game plan” to divide NCP with his resignation episode.

Sharad Pawar is like an old tree in the political field. he dropped out of congress [in 1999] and founded his own party, the Nationalist Congress Party. He steers the party, making his presence felt. However, he has failed to groom a leadership who will take over the reins of the party after him.

face Edit Mr Pawar’s ‘criticism’ is seen as a response to the NCP chief’s flattering remarks about Mr Thackeray in the updated edition of his political memoirs public me company (People in My Company), which was released on 2 May. It was then that Mr Pawar stunned his colleagues and party workers by announcing that he was stepping down as national president of the NCP – only to withdraw his resignation after three days of intense drama.

All is well: Pawar

In response to the editorial, Mr. Pawar, speaking in Solapur, said that “all is well within the MVA” and the NCP and editor face (Pointing to Mr. Raut) “All were working together.”

Mr Pawar categorically said: “I have not read the edit…will give an opinion only after reading it. But even after I announced my resignation as president [which he subsequently took back] It did not mean that I had given up on NCP.”

In his memoirs, Mr. Pawar has criticized Mr. Thackeray’s lack of political acumen before proceeding to the floor test, expressing displeasure about Mr. Thackeray stepping down as chief minister last year (in the wake of Eknath Shinde’s rebellion). . He criticized Mr Thackeray for visiting Mantralaya (as Maharashtra’s state secretariat is called) only twice during his tenure as chief minister of the then MVA government, while remarking that the latter’s father – the late Bal Thackeray – It was easy to communicate with. It was with Uddhav.

face Hailing Mr Pawar’s resignation, the editorial claimed that the BJP had plans to split the NCP, just as it had split the Shiv Sena.

“Some people were even ready with ‘bags’ and made arrangements for lodging and food for those who came there. However, Sharad Pawar’s masterstroke ensured that BJP’s plan failed.

The editorial further claimed that a section of the NCP wanted Mr Pawar to join hands with the BJP and free him from harassment by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax Department.

NCP pulls up Raut

Meanwhile, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal hit out at Raut, saying the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader should focus on his party instead of focusing on the NCP.

“We all know that Sanjay Raut writes these edited pieces… Why does he want to create discord among MVA colleagues? Does he want NCP to walk out of MVA? Sanjay Raut should not worry too much for us. Had he focused on the Shinde group, his rebellion could have been stopped and we [MVA] Would not have been out of power,” Mr Bhujbal said in a scathing reply to Mr Raut.

He further said that NCP has capable leaders like Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil to take the party forward.

Meanwhile, Congressman Mr. Patole expressed his displeasure over Mr. Thackeray for inducting former Congress leader Mr. Jagtap into the Sena (UBT).

“It is unethical to include Snehal Jagtap in the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray at the Mahad rally. If they drive people away from our party, it will destabilize the MVA. We will raise this issue in the MVA meeting,” Mr Patole said.