Sharad Pawar formed the NCP in 1999 after he broke away with the Congress. He transformed the fledgling unit into a force to reckon with in Maharashtra politics.
As many as 51 of NCP's 53 MLAs wished to join hands with the BJP after the MVA government collapsed in Maharashtra last year, claimed Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel, days after NCP chief Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar triggered a possible vertical split in the party. Patel, who has sided with the junior Pawar in the internal power tussle, defended the rebellion arguing that if NCP can share power with ideologically opposite Shiv Sena, it can stitch an alliance with the ruling party.
Sharad Pawar formed the NCP in 1999 after he broke away with the Congress. He transformed the fledgling unit into a force to reckon with in Maharashtra politics.
In 2019, Ajit Pawar's attempt to effect a coup fizzled out after he couldn't muster the support of enough MLAs. He took oath as the deputy of Devendra Fadnavis who had sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra -- both were forced to resign within hours. The NCP and the Congress then entered into an uncomfortable alliance with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena. Sharad Pawar accepted Ajit Pawar back.
Last year, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde's rebellion toppled the government.
A similar script is playing out again. Ajit Pawar, and eight other MLAs, have taken oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde Cabinet.
"There were discussions on this issue, but no decision was reached. Now a shape has been given. The decision has been taken as a party, not by me or Ajit Pawar individually," the Rajya Sabha member said.
The only two MLAs who were present at the meeting were Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, Patel claimed.
He claimed that even the then NCP MLAs wrote a letter to Sharad Pawar pleading the party shouldn't stay out of power.
Patel said he was very close to Pawar but still wasn't aware of his decision to quit as the party chief.
"I don't think Sharad Pawar will be upset with me. I will face whatever feelings he has for me," he added.
With inputs from PTI
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 "Patel said he was very close to Pawar but still wasn't aware of his decision to quit as the party chief. (File)")
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