Ajit Pawar and 8 Other MLAs Are the Subjects of Disqualification Petitions Filed by Maharashtra NCP

Ajit Pawar and a select group of other individuals who joined the Eknath Shinde administration on Sunday were the targets of disqualification petitions filed by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In relation to the matter, the party has contacted the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Ajit Pawar and eight other people who took an oath of office as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led state government were named in a disqualification appeal sent by the Maharashtra NCP, according to Jayant Patil, the party’s president, who spoke at a press conference late on Sunday.

“They left the party, which is against NCP, but they didn’t let anyone know. Additionally, we sent a letter to the Indian Election Commission. We reject this because these nine leaders didn’t let us know they were leaving the party before they did it. We anticipate that the majority of the MLAs will rejoin the NCP, and we would welcome them back, Patil added.

Patil added, “They are technically disqualified the moment they went against the party’s policy.”

The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government appointed nine NCP MLAs as ministers, thus dividing the party in two. The change occurs a year after Shinde’s rebellion against the Shiv Sena (which was still united) brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The assembly speaker has been encouraged by the party leader to take the disqualification petition under consideration today, July 3.

“Unlike the Shiv Sena MLAs who rebelled (Eknath Shinde’s uprising last year), our MLAs’ defection has not been “proven,” as they are still in contact with us. We do not wish to act or remark on them at this time, the Maharashtra NCP chief said.

Sharad Pawar Patil’s remark regarding his disqualification followed Sharad Pawar’s declaration that he would not be engaging in legal action. “There is no need to pursue legal action in this dispute, and I have no objections if someone asserts ownership of the NCP. We’ll approach folks and ask for their help. They will support us, I’m sure of it,” stated Sharad Pawar.

He said that he will develop new party leadership and claimed that when such circumstances arise, he is more motivated to work.

Pawar criticised those who departed for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, saying he did not know what had changed in the past four years (since the 2019 Assembly elections). “When we faced elections four years ago, Modi was both our aim and our target. What just transpired today after four years of battling (him)? The truth is that they needed power and wanted to leave, he claimed.

After taking the oath of office as deputy CM, Ajit Pawar spoke to the media and insisted that there was no division within the NCP and that they will continue to use the NCP’s name and emblem to run in all future elections.

He had stated that “all the elected members (of the party) have supported the decision to join the government.”