Four senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Pimpri-Chinchwad have resigned and are expected to join the group led by Sharad Pawar, the NCP-SCP, which poses a serious threat to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Maharashtra.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Several Ajit Pawar-led NCP leaders and Corporators from Pimpri Chinchwad join Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SCP at his residence in Pune.
NCP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief, Ajit Gavhane is also among the leaders who joined the party here. Three other senior leaders… pic.twitter.com/s71oyZl62w
— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2024
 Mass Resignation of NCP Leaders
This comes after the party’s dismal showing in the most recent Lok Sabha elections, in which Ajit Pawar’s faction managed to win just one seat. Ajit Gavhane, the head of the NCP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad branch, along with Yash Sane, the president of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Students’ Wing, and former corporators Rahul Bhosale and Pankaj Bhalekar, are among the defectors. On Tuesday, the resignations were turned in to Ajit Pawar.
“I have quit the NCP,” said Ajit Gavhane. I’ve given my party president my notice of resignation. In support of his choice, he said, several NCP office-bearers, former corporators, and leaders intend to resign from the party.
Discontent Following Lok Sabha Election Results
At Sharad Pawar’s home in Pune on Wednesday, many leaders and corporators from Ajit Pawar’s NCP in Pimpri Chinchwad formally transferred their allegiance to the NCP-SCP, which is led by Sharad Pawar. In response to the defections, NCP-SCP working president Supriya Sule said, “I think everyone has different experiences in the party.”
Ajit Gavhane gave a hint that there might be more resignations and mentioned his failure to win the NCP’s seat in the Bhosari Assembly as a major reason for leaving. He expressed his intention to run for the Bhosari Assembly seat, which Mahesh Landge of the BJP had held thrice. According to leaders close to Gavhane, more leaders would be joining Sharad Pawar’s NCP. According to the Indian Express, Gavhane and the other leaders are scheduled to formally join the NCP (SP) on July 20 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, in the presence of Sharad Pawar.
Shift of Allegiance to Sharad Pawar’s Faction
Following Ajit Pawar’s mutiny against his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar in 2023, the Pawar family divided into two political factions. Sharad Pawar stayed in the opposition camp, while Ajit Pawar joined the Mahayuti government headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and was appointed Deputy Chief Minister.
Umesh Patil, the spokesperson for the NCP, expressed optimism that Ajit Gavhane, who is well-known for having close relations to Ajit Pawar, would change his mind. “Any leader or leaders quitting the party is a setback,” Patil said. However, we do not doubt that Ajit Gavhane will stick around. It is well known that Ajit Gavhane and our leader Ajit Pawar are close. We are confident that he won’t make any snap decisions as a result.
Future Political Implications
Sharad Pawar stayed in the opposition camp, while Ajit Pawar joined the Mahayuti government headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and was appointed Deputy Chief Minister.
Umesh Patil, the spokesperson for the NCP, expressed optimism that Ajit Gavhane, who is well-known for having close relations with Ajit Pawar, would change his mind. “Any leader or leaders quitting the party is a setback,” Patil said. However, we do not doubt that Ajit Gavhane will stick around. It is well known that Ajit Gavhane and our leader Ajit Pawar are close. We are confident that he won’t make any snap decisions as a result.
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