Sharad Pawar, the head of the Nationalist Congress Party, said on Monday that if Congress wants to name their leader of opposition, it would be a legitimate demand since the party with the most MLAs gets to choose the LoP.
“The LoP job may be demanded by the party with the most MLAs. According to my knowledge, Congress presently has the maximum number, therefore if they need more, it would be a legitimate request, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar told reporters on Monday. “Many from there (Ajit Pawar’s side) called me and said most of them are still with the original ideology/policies of the NCP and they will declare their stand at the right time,” said Pawar.
“I didn’t call anybody to come here and demonstrate strength. Your strength fluctuates, sometimes increasing and other times decreasing. In 1980, when I had 59 MLAs, just five remained. Despite this, I ran a campaign for my party, and those who left it lost the subsequent election, Sharad Pawar remarked during the press conference.
Pawar said that he has never given a thought to who remained and who went. Around 80% of all those who came to meet me today on my trip were young folks. These young people will do all it takes to advance the secular philosophy and build Maharashtra.
“Jayant Patil is leading the party in the state,” Pawar added in reference to the measures that will be taken against the rebellious MLAs. He has the authority to decide whether to take legal action against the oath-takers. I don’t know what steps he has done.
Who will be disqualified and who won’t is up to Jayant Patil. He has rights, and I don’t engage in politics of retaliation, Pawar said.
Nine MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, who were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde-Fadnavis administration on July 2 were disqualified by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday for engaging in anti-party actions. The NCP filed a petition with Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking the nine MLAs’ disqualification.
On Sunday, Dilip Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Mundo, Dharmaraobaba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode, and Anil Patil joined the Maharashtra administration headed by Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis.
Pawar added, “I had selected Sunil Tatkare as National General Secretary and Prafull Patel as Working President. I am disappointed in both of them. They had been handed certain duties by me. However, they took on a task that I had not given to them. As a result, they are not entitled to hold such positions, according to the NCP Chief.
Supriya Sule, the working president of the Nationalist Congress Party, wrote to Sharad Pawar on Monday requesting that MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare be disqualified for allegedly engaging in anti-party actions.
In a letter to Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule stated, “I write with great urgency to inform you that two Members of Parliament, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare…have engaged in anti-party activities by facilitating and spearheading the swearing-in of nine MLAs as Cabinet Ministers of the Government of Maharashtra.
Pawar said that the BJP is attempting to split communities while addressing to the media on Monday.
“I anticipated that the celebration would become stronger. The BJP is attempting to divide communities in a number of states. Sharad Pawar remarked, “I had expected party leaders to fight against this and promote societal homogeneity and harmony, but some have taken a different approach.
