Page 20 - Ncp

Those facing graft charges declared clean after joining BJP: Sanjay Raut

"This is a conspiracy by the BJP. They are breaking other parties. They bring in members of other parties and put them in the BJP'swashing machine to wash off the taint of corruption'' said Raut

Shaping political alliances

Opposition unity has suffered a setback

Rebellion took place in NCP chief's family: Bhujbal attacks Sharad Pawar

Newly-inducted Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday questioned the purpose of Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar's rally a day earlier in Nashik and said the rebellion in the party took place in the latter's family and not because of him. Pawar had held a rally in Nashik's Yeola, the Assembly constituency of Bhujbal, on Saturday and had told the gathering he erred in trusting some people, an apparent swipe at the latter. Bhujbal, along with eight NCP colleagues, including Ajit Pawar, had joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2 after splitting from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. "Sharad Pawar saheb, why did you come to Yeola? I could not understand it. I am not responsible for the rebellion. It happened in your family," Bhujbal said at a press conference here. Hitting out further, Bhujbal said he was an Other Backward Classes leader who holds rallies and gives speeches and, therefore, Sharad Pawar, popularly referred to as Maratha strongman, may have chosen h

Win, lose, or draw straws: Maharashtra politics may see a silent upheaval

While arithmetic political stability is a reality, politics in Maharashtra is likely to see a silent upheaval

Will continue: Sharad Pawar asks NCP rebels not to raise issue of his age

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to have plans to "destroy" state-level parties and weaken the Opposition. Days after his nephew Ajit Pawar and several other MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party rebelled against him and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, Pawar senior hit the road in an attempt to rally party workers behind him. Speaking to reporters in Nashik city, he said he has seen politics of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and P V Narasimha Rao, all of whom spoke (critically) about opposition parties but never sought to silence the Opposition. "It appears that the BJP has plans to destroy state-level parties. They have done this in different places. In electoral democracy, the opposition party is as important as the ruling party. But the BJP's policy is to weaken the Opposition, he said. The BJP knows what is in store for it and hence it is splitting up

What''s age got to do with it: Sharad Pawar on Ajit's suggestion to retire

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has scoffed at estranged nephew Ajit Pawar's suggestion that he should retire from active politics, saying he will continue working as party workers want him to keep going. Do you know at what age Morarji Desai became the prime minister? I don't want to become the PM or a minister but only want to serve the people, Pawar said when asked about Ajit's remark that at 83 years, it was time for his uncle to retire. Asserting that he was not old yet, Pawar echoed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's words, saying, "Na tired hu, na retired hu." (I am neither tired nor retired). "Who are they to tell me to retire? I can still work," Pawar said in an interview to Mumbai Tak, India Today's Marathi digital news channel. To another query on the succession war in the family after Ajit Pawar's remarks that he was sidelined as he wasn't somebody's (Sharad Pawar's) son, the veteran politician said, I don't want to say much on this topic. I don't like discussing ...

We request ECI to give symbol of NCP to us: Rebel leader Praful Patel

"We request ECI that the official Symbol of NCP and name be given to us (Ajit Pawar). It's not a spilt I want to tell you legislative council and all members are behind Ajit Pawar

BJP does not break parties but takes those who believe in Modi: Fadnavis

The Bharatiya Janata Party does not engineer splits in other parties but does not stop those who believe in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and want to come along, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday. Speaking at the state BJP legislative party's meeting here days after a Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Ajit Pawar joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government, he also said that another round of cabinet expansion will take place soon. "The BJP does not break other parties, but there will be no opposition to those who believe in Modi's leadership and want to come along, " Fadnavis said. Even if opposition parties united against Modi, it would not make any impact, he said. He also asked BJP legislators to take the schemes of the Modi government to people under the 'Modi@9' campaign.

Ideology: Death and rebirth

The BJP has maintained its ideological coherence, while the Congress has repeatedly split. If only the Congress could develop a modern ideology, we could see the return of two-party politics

Maharastra's Dy CM Fadnavis leaves Varsha after meeting with CM Shinde

On the split in the NCP, Shinde said the party should introspect on everything that was happening within the rank and file

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I am the president of NCP, will speak in front of EC now: Sharad Pawar

"I am the president of NCP," veteran Sharad Pawar asserted on Thursday after a meeting of the party's Working Committee which approved the decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine others who joined hands with NDA recently. Briefing the media here, party leader P C Chacko said eight resolutions were passed in the meeting. Pawar also said the "truth will come out" on Ajit Pawar' claim of having majority. Chacko said the organisation was behind Pawar. "NCP Working Committee approves decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine who joined hands with NDA. Sharad Pawar was elected national president. We don't take seriously claims of someone being national president. "Our organisation still intact and we are with Sharad Pawar," Chacko asserted. He also said every three years, NCP holds elections and people are elected regularly. The resolutions passed by the working committee include a stand against the undemocratic and unconstitutional actions of the BJP gover

Nobody unhappy in my party over Ajit Pawar joining govt: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said nobody in Shiv Sena is unhappy over NCP leader Ajit Pawar's inclusion in the state ministry. Shinde described as rumours spread by opposition reports that his chief ministerial chair may be in jeopardy after Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined his year-old state ministry. Some Shiv Sena legislators had apparently raised concerns after the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joining the state government. Shinde presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs on Wednesday. Ajit Pawar's remark that he wants to be the CM has created a flutter in political circles. The remark has made the Shinde camp, which is awaiting the Assembly Speaker's ruling on disqualification complaint against its MLAs, nervous. Maharashtra minister Uday Samant, who belongs to the Shinde-led group, said reports about Shinde's resignation were false.

'Kattappa stabbing Babubali' poster put up outside NCP office in Delhi

Rashtrawadi Vidyarthi Congress put up a poster depicting a scene from the film 'Baahubali', showing Ajit Pawar as "Kattappa" who is stabbing "Amarendra Baahubali" Sharad Pawar in the back

Sharad Pawar to convene party's working committee meet in Delhi today

As the fight for the party name and symbol reached the Election Commission, Sharad Pawar said it is time to create a new generation of leaders

MLAs from Shinde-led Sena revolting after induction of NCP leaders in govt

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut on Thursday claimed MLAs from the Shiv Sena-led by Maharashtra Chief Eknath Shinde have started revolting after NCP leader Ajit Pawar along with eight other party MLAs joined the state government. Some MLAs (from Shinde bloc) have been sending messages that they want to "seek forgiveness from 'Matoshree'," the Lok Sabha member further claimed while talking to reporters. Many MLAs from the Shiv Sena have said if 'Matoshree' approaches them, then they will reply "positively", Raut added. 'Matoshree' is the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra area of Mumbai. CM Shinde has been working to assuage the concerns of Shiv Sena lawmakers after Ajit Pawar joined the coalition government on Sunday and asserted there was nothing to worry, according to Sena legislators. Shinde, who presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs on Wednesday, was kept in the loop about the fast-paced developments in the NCP which culminated in Aji

Ajit Pawar support to NDA will further weaken MVA: Ramdas Athawale

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the latter's residence here on Thursday and said Pawar's support to the NDA will "further weaken" the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (A), said it was a courtesy visit after Pawar became the deputy CM of the state. Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to become deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government. Eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet. Speaking to reporters after meeting the deputy CM, Athawale said, Ajit Pawar's support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has increased the strength (of the ruling side) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly to more than 200. His support will result in the MVA getting weakened further. The MVA comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv

Made move after consulting legal experts to avoid disqualification: Bhujbal

Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Thursday said the recent developments in the party, culminating in Ajit Pawar taking oath as deputy CM, happened after legal experts were consulted to escape disqualification. Addressing a news conference here, Bhujbal also said that Ajit Pawar and other leaders will decide on whether to use photos of Sharad Pawar on posters. Even after Sharad Pawar said his photo should be used only with his permission and by people who were of the same ideology, his photo featured on a poster set on stage where Ajit Pawar's faction met on Wednesday. Bhujbal said 42 to 43 NCP MLAs have signed affidavits in support of Ajit Pawar. "When it was decided to join the government under the leadership of Ajit Pawar, law experts were consulted and decisions were taken thereafter, he said. After consulting two-four experts, steps were taken to escape disqualification," Bhujbal said. The party's constitution and electoral rules were followed before

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