The party meeting called by Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai witnessed a significant presence of 35 out of 53 NCP MLAs, according to party sources. They further mentioned that the number is expected to rise even higher. Additionally, five out of eight NCP MLCs are also participating in the meeting being held in suburban Bandra. In order to avoid disqualification, the Ajit Pawar camp needs the support of at least 36 MLAs, as explained by former principal secretary of Maharashtra Legislature, Anant Kalse.
Meanwhile, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar’s supporters gathered at his residence in south Mumbai, prior to the show of strength meetings organized by both him and Ajit Pawar, who recently took on the role of deputy chief minister. The two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar respectively, are conducting their meetings at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai and the Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra.
Outside Sharad Pawar’s residence at Silver Oak, a party worker carried a banner stating, “83-year-old warrior waging a fight alone.” Supporters of Ajit Pawar also assembled outside his Devgiri official residence in south Mumbai before he departed for the meeting in Bandra. A party worker from Baramati expressed their loyalty, saying, “We are hardcore Dada (Ajit Pawar) supporters. We have come all the way from Baramati,” to the media gathered outside Devgiri. MLA Anil Patil claimed that Ajit Pawar has the support of as many as 40 out of the 53 party MLAs. These meetings mark the first gathering of party functionaries for both factions since Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, and Hasan Mushrif, joined the Eknath Shinde government on Sunday. Both factions have asserted that they have the majority of MLAs on their side.
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