New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder and president Sharad Pawar attacked the BJP Wednesday after his nephew broke the party and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP ruling coalition in Maharashtra.
“You called the NCP corrupt. Why have you then allied with the NCP now? Whatever happened to Uddhav Thackeray is being repeated,” the veteran politician said after it became clear during the day that nephew Ajit Pawar had the support of a majority of the NCP’s 53 MLAs.
The NCP’s split echoes that of the Shiv Sena last year when Eknath Shinde carted off most of the party’s MLAs and formed the government with the BJP.
Shinde’s mutiny toppled the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government – a coalition of the Shiv Sena (headed by Uddhav Thackeray), the Congress and the NCP.
On his nephew’s revolt, the Senior Pawar said Ajit should have spoken to him if he had any problems. “If he had something on his mind, he should have approached me,” Pawar said, adding the rebels did not follow any procedure either like taking the party leadership into confidence.
Pawar spoke after meeting supporters and loyalists at a gathering convened by the party in south Mumbai Wednesday.
A similar show of strength was organised by Ajit Pawar in suburban Bandra, where at least 32 of the party’s 53 MLAs turned up. He needs over 36 to avoid the anti-defection law.
Seventeen were at Senior Pawar’s show, making it clear that he had lost support of the majority.
Sharad Pawar also said he was not hungering for power. “We will keep working for the people,” added the veteran politician, who is a prominent face of the Opposition in the country.
On reports that Ajit Pawar has already staked claim to the original party name and symbol with the Election Commission, the NCP founder vehemently said the party symbol was with him. “It is not going anywhere. The people and party workers who brought us to power are with us,” he added.
Incidentally, his group has also filed a caveat with the poll body, urging it to hear them first before passing any directive.
It has informed the EC that a disqualification process has been initiated against the nine MLAs who joined the BJP-Sena government on Sunday.
Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister Sunday, while eight others also took oath hinting at an impending cabinet expansion in Maharashtra.
Also read: ‘Want to become CM,’ says Ajit Pawar, chides uncle & NCP chief Sharad Pawar for not retiring