Sharad Pawar admires Ajit Pawar’s leadership in NCP, denies split in party

Mumbai: On the heels of NCP leader Supriya Sule's statement blaming the BJP for the rift within the party, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar denied the report of a split in the party regarding Ajit Pawar's joining the BJP and Shiv Sena coalition government in Maharashtra.

NCP's national president, Sharad Pawar, categorically stated that there was no internal division and reaffirmed his nephew, Ajit Pawar, as the party's leader.

Addressing the press at a conference held in Baramati, Sharad Pawar clarified, "Ajit Pawar is our leader. There is no dispute about it. What is the meaning of split? When does a split take place in a party? If a big group breaks away from the party at the national level, then it is a split. If some people have taken a different stand, it is their right in a democracy. If they have taken a different stand, it does not mean the party has split. It is their decision."

Sule, in her statement, placed blame on the BJP for certain NCP MLAs aligning themselves with the ruling alliance. "The party has not split at all; some took a different stand of going with the BJP. We have complained to the Assembly Speaker to take action against them," Sule had emphasized.

Furthermore, when questioned about BJP's state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule's claim that Sharad Pawar might join the BJP before the 2024 elections, Pawar brushed off the question, responding assertively, "Don't ask whatever you feel like…"

Regarding the upcoming general elections, Sharad Pawar indicated that while he didn't have specific information about a media survey, the NCP was consulting various sources and was confident in the prospects of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, predicting that it would secure a greater number of seats.