Khadakwasla defeat not Ajit Pawar's fault: NCP

NCP today termed as "inappropriate" the assessment that Khadakwasla by-election result was a personal setback for Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Pawar had made the by-election a prestige issue, but NCP failed to win the assembly seat.

"The by-election was a matter of prestige for the entire party and the party takes the blame for the defeat. We failed to mobilise the voters. The defeat has nothing to do with Anna Hazare's movement," NCP spokesman Prakash Binsale said here.

The defeat called for "introspection" and will be debated at the party's internal forum, he said, adding that the extended working committee meeting will take place on November 2, here. "(Party chief) Sharad Pawar will be present at the meeting. Before that, he will address leaders and office-bearers of the Mumbai unit, as a part of the preparations for the next year's civic polls," Binsale said.

Other issues on the agenda include preparations for November 13 National Labour Convention organised by NCP in Navi Mumbai, and the minorities convention of December 27 in Aurangabad. When asked about MNS chief Raj Thackeray's allegation that NCP leaders were corrupt, Binsale said responding to baseless allegations was not his party's "culture".

Mahesh Tapase, another spokesman, said, "Raj Thackeray imitates Ajit Pawar well, if he were to imitate Pawar's style of functioning, he would do a great service to the state."