Page 109 - Maharashtra

Tamasha not democracy: Kapil Sibal on Maharashtra developments

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday dubbed the political developments in Maharashtra as a "tamasha", and said the law seems to allow it. He also said the political developments were about "loaves of power" and not people. The remarks by Sibal, a noted advocate, came after NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight others were inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government. Ajit Pawar pulled off a stunning revolt in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday, triggering a vertical split, and joined hands with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra to become the deputy chief minister. In a tweet, Sibal said, "Maharashtra politics, this is not democracy. It's a 'Tamasha'& The law seems to allow it! It is about the loaves of power, not people!" Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said he aspired to become the CM of the state and also took a jibe at NCP chief Sharad Pawar asking his 83-year-old uncle when will he retire from active politics, as .

Sharad Pawar leaves for Delhi to attend NCP National Executive meeting

Ajit Pawar urged Sharad Pawar to step down and give a chance to the new generation stating that even leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retire at the age of 75

Oppn creating confusion, Shinde to continue as CM": Maharashtra BJP chief

"There is no question of the resignation of CM Eknath Shinde. We have the support of more than 200 MLAs. No leader is unhappy and all have faith in Eknath Shinde's leadership," Sanjay Raut said

Shinde meets Sena, assuages their concerns over Ajit camp joining govt

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday sought to assuage the concerns of Shiv Sena lawmakers after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar joined the coalition government and asserted there was nothing to worry, Sena legislators said. Shinde, who presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs, was kept in the loop about the fast-paced developments in the NCP which culminated in Ajit Pawar taking oath as deputy CM along with eight other ministers on July 2 in a stunning turn of events, they said. A section of Shiv Sena lawmakers had raised certain concerns after the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined the one-year-old Shinde-BJP government. The induction of the rebel NCP group in the cabinet has dented the prospects of ministerial aspirants from the BJP and the Shiv Sena, leaving some of them upset and Shinde is aware of their sentiments Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar said earlier in the day. Amid the changed politician equation, Shiv Sena MLAs and MPs

Ajit Pawar reaches EC, says he's NCP chief, stakes claim to party symbol

EC to decide fate of Ajit faction's MLAs; 32 turn up to support Ajit, Sharad Pawar parades 18

Ajit Pawar elected NCP president on June 30: Group to Election Commission

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP has informed the Election Commission that he has been elected national president of the party. A statement issued on Wednesday on behalf of the Ajit Pawar-led faction said the Election Commission has been informed through an affidavit that he was elected NCP chief through a resolution dated June 30, 2023 signed by an "overwhelming majority" of members of NCP, both from the legislative and organisational wing. Praful Patel continues to be NCP working president, the release said. The NCP has also decided to appoint Ajit Pawar as the leader of NCP Legislative Party in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and this decision was also ratified by the resolution passed by an overwhelming majority of NCP MLAs, the statement said. An attempt is being made by certain elements within the NCP to spread a sense of fear and confusion amongst the elected representatives of the NCP and also the party cadre working in different organisational ...

Those using my photo know they have nothing else: Sharad Pawar slams nephew

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday objected to his big photo adorning the stage at a parallel meeting of the party convened by his nephew Ajit Pawar, and said those using his image are aware that they have nothing else. Addressing a meeting at Chavan Centre in south Mumbai, where around a dozen of 53 NCP MLAs were present, 83-year-old Pawar criticised his nephew for going with BJP for power, despite PM Narendra Modi calling NCP a corrupt party. On Ajit Pawar-led faction approaching Election Commission and staking claim to the party symbol, the veteran politician assured his supporters that he won't allow anyone to snatch the party symbol. Just a few days ago, they (Ajit Pawar) derided chief minister Eknath Shinde, saying they haven't seen such a CM in all these years, but today they have joined him, Sharad Pawar said. Recalling his connect with the masses when he set up NCP in 1999, Pawar said, today we may not be in power, but we are in people's hearts.

NCP factional war reaches EC, Ajit Pawar files over 40 affidavits

The factional fight of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has reached the doorstep of the Election Commission with the group led by Ajit Pawar filing over 40 affidavits of MLAs and MPs in his support. The Sharad Pawar camp has filed a caveat with the poll authority urging it to hear them first before passing any directive in connection with the factional fight, Election Commission sources said. The Election Commission is likely to process applications in the coming days and ask both the sides to exchange the respective documents submitted before it. The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, witnessed a split on Sunday with Ajit Pawar, claiming support of over 40 MLAs and joining the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government in Maharashtra. Nine NCP MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, were sworn-in as ministers in the Maharashtra government at a surprise cabinet expansion on Sunday. Ajit Pawar, with senior party leaders Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil by his side, asserted to b

Ajit Pawar ahead in numbers game; 35 of 53 NCP MLAs attend his meeting

As many as 35 of 53 NCP MLAs were present at the party meeting convened by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday, party sources said. The number will increase further, the sources said. Five of eight NCP MLCs are also attending the meeting taking place in suburban Bandra, they said. According to former principal secretary of Maharashtra Legislature Anant Kalse, Ajit Pawar camp needs the support of at least 36 MLAs to avoid disqualification. NCP chief Sharad Pawar's supporters thronged his residence in south Mumbai on Wednesday, hours ahead of the show of strength meetings convened by him and Ajit Pawar who parted ways to become the deputy chief minister. The Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party are holding their meetings in Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai and in Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, respectively. Outside Silver Oak, the senior Pawar's residence in south Mumbai, a party worker was seen .

Supriya Sule reaches YB Chavan Centre for meeting called by Sharad Pawar

Supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar have gathered outside YB Chavan Centre ahead of the meeting called by the party chief

President Murmu to attend Gondwana University convocation during Maha visit

President Droupadi Murmu has arrived in Nagpur on a visit to Maharashtra where she will address the convocation of the Gondwana University in Gadchiroli and attend other events. This is Murmu's first visit to Maharashtra after assuming the top constitutional office in July last year. The President arrived at the city airport on Tuesday evening and was welcomed by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari. She will address the 10th convocation of the Gondwana University in Gadchiroli on Wednesday and also inaugurate the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Sanskritik Kendra (cultural centre) at Koradi in Nagpur later in the day, a statement issued by the district information office said. On Thursday, she will interact with members of PVTGs (particularly vulnerable tribal groups) at the Raj Bhavan in Nagpur, it said. She will later leave for Mumbai, where she will attend a civic reception at the Raj Bhavan to be

All NCP workers support Sharad Pawar, upset on Ajit's move: LoP Awhad

"All NCP workers are with Pawar saheb (Sharad Pawar). That is why workers are angry with what Ajit Pawar did. That is why his poster has been removed from the party office," Jitendra Awhad said

Maha transport commissioner requests ARAI to review sleeper coach design

The Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Department has requested the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to conduct a thorough review of the design and safety measures implemented in sleeper coach buses. The move came after the last week's horrific tragedy on the Samruddhi Expressway where a sleeper coach bus caught fire causing the death of 25 passengers. "We have requested the ARAI to re-inspect the design of sleeper buses," said Vivek Bhimanwar, transport commissioner of Maharashtra. ARAI, which is a premier vehicle testing and certification agency notified by the Government of India, had prepared the Automotive Industry Standards for sleeper coach buses.

Arkade Group to invest Rs 470 cr on new housing project in Mulund, Mumbai

Realty firm Arkade Group will invest Rs 470 crore to develop a housing project at Mulund in Mumbai. The project 'Arkade Nest' is spread over 2 acres and will have 350 flats. "The total investment estimate in this project is Rs 470 crore, out of which Rs.115 crore has been spent so far," Mumba-based realty firm Arkade said in a statement. Established in 1986, the Arkade Group is planning an initial public offering (IPO) to raise about Rs 600 crore in a fresh issue of shares, it added. The group clocked a total sales bookings of Rs 150 crore in the first quarter of this fiscal.

NCP's Pune city unit passes resolution backing Sharad Pawar has party head

The Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Pune city unit on Tuesday passed a resolution announcing their support for party chief Sharad Pawar and affirmed that the party headed by him is the "real" NCP. The resolution was passed in a meeting held here in the presence of the NCP's city unit president Prashant Jagtap, Pune spokesperson Ankush Kakade, Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan, party leader Ravindra Malavadkar, and several party workers were present. The party in the resolution condemned the BJP's "dirty political stand" and stated that the saffron party was aware that without finishing the NCP, it will not be able to achieve its "desired" objective. On Sunday, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become a deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago after quitting the Congress. Apart from Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif

15 killed, over 20 injured as container truck hits four vehicles in Dhule

Official said the truck rammed into a hotel near a bus stop on the highway and overturned

Ajit Pawar-led group has no right to sack me as Maha NCP president: Patil

Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil on Tuesday said the group led by Ajit Pawar has no right to remove him from the post. He also claimed that all MLAs of NCP (total 53) are with the party chief Sharad Pawar. A day earlier, the Ajit Pawar camp appointed Sunil Tatkare as the Maharashtra NCP president in place of Jayant Patil. It also asked the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad from membership of the House. Hours before Jayant Patil was replaced by the Ajit Pawar camp, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had removed the party's working president Praful Patel and general secretary Tatkare for engaging in "anti-party activities. The action was taken against Patel and Tatkare after they attended the swearing-in ceremony of Ajit Pawar who took oath as deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP cabinet on Sunday, while eight NCP MLAs joined as ministers. "The faction led by (Ajit Pawar) is a 'Notionalist' Party. They have no right to remove me from the post

Maharashtra Cong meeting begins, party likely to claim Oppn leader's post

A meeting of the Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party (CLP) got underway at the Vidhan Bhavan here on Tuesday in the presence of AICC secretary HK Patil. The party is likely to discuss the issue of staking claim to the post of Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, in the wake of a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) fell vacant after NCP leader Ajit Pawar resigned on Friday. He joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday as deputy chief minister while eight other NCP MLAs took oath as ministers. Notably, the NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has appointed MLA Jitendra Awhad as the LoP. Sharad Pawar on Monday said the Congress, a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, was justified in claiming the post of LoP. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly. The Congress has 45 MLAs and CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat has said all legislators are together. Sources said almost all the legislators were attending the meeting, barring a fe

NCP MLAs wanted Pawar to explore possibility of joining Maha govt: Patel

Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel has claimed 51 out of the 53 party MLAs had told NCP chief Sharad Pawar that a possibility of joining hands with the BJP should be explored after the MVA government in Maharashtra collapsed last year. If the NCP can form government with the Shiv Sena, why not with the BJP, Patel, who has switched over to Ajit Pawar's side, said in an interview to Marathi news channel Zee 24 Taas. On Sunday, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the outfit 24 years ago after quitting the Congress. Besides Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising the Shiv Sena (then undivided), NCP and Congress, collapsed in June last year after a revolt led by

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to inaugurate new NCP party office in Mumbai

Ajit Pawar has been unanimously elected as the leader of the legislature party. We have informed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker about our decision