Work hard to make NCP largest party in Maha: Patil to workers

Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil Thursday sent out a strong message to party men and spoke about structural reforms, stressing that those working hard would be encouraged and those found derelict would be relieved of their posts.

Patil referred to 'Kaizen', a Japanese word for "excelling", and asked NCP workers to pull up their socks as they faced the challenge of making the party the "largest in the state".

He called for strengthening the party at the booth-level and also empowering women.

In an open letter to party workers, Patil said persons with criminal backgrounds did not have any place in the party and would never be able to be part of the organisation.

Accusing the present government of ignoring the development of tribals, members of the Scheduled castes and minorities, Patil said the NCP was committed to their welfare, adding that it would give representation to functionaries from the communities in its working bodies.

He referred to the Bhima-Koregaon violence and charged the government with pitting one community against the other.

The former Maharashtra minister also sought to pick holes in the decisions taken by the Devendra Fadnavis government, saying these have caused long-term damage to the state in the agricultural, industrial and social spheres.

Patil also recalled that top NCP leaders had faced "false and baseless" allegations ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls from the then opposition parties (BJP and the Shiv Sena).

But the (now) ruling parties (BJP and the Shiv Sena) have not been able to corroborate these charges, meaning the leaders were innocent and that the allegations were levelled only to defame them, Patil added.

He also lauded NCP supremo Sharad Pawar for working towards realising a Maharashtra as dreamt by the architect of the Constitution B R Ambedkar and social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.

In the letter posted on Facebook, Patil told workers to devote more time for the party than before. He added that he was ready to give everything for the party and sought support from the workers.

"We will need to carry out various reforms in the party. Virtuous and hard working ones would be given responsibilities on priority," Patil said.

"The performance of the workers would be evaluated at various levels. If need be, the party intends to relieve of their duties those found derelict," he added.

Patil said those working at the booth-level were at the centre of the party.

He also urged them to extensively use a cellphone application the party has designed for its leaders and workers to communicate with each other.