NCP rehabilitates Suraj Chavan, names Nawab Malik as Mumbai poll strategist

NCP reinstates Suraj Chavan as general secretary after a violent incident led to his removal. Criticism arises over his swift promotion within the party.

MUMBAI: The Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has reinstated Maharashtra youth leader Suraj Chavan into the party’s organisational fold, barely three weeks after removing him over a violent altercation that went viral on social media. Chavan has now been appointed general secretary of the state unit.

NCP rehabilitates Suraj Chavan, names Nawab Malik as Mumbai poll strategist

Chavan was sacked as state youth president on July 21 after a video surfaced showing him and other NCP workers punching and elbowing Vijay Ghadge, the state president of Maratha outfit ‘Chhava Sangathana’. The footage triggered a political row, forcing his removal from the post.

On Wednesday, NCP president Ajit Pawar brought Chavan back with a promotion. Within hours, the move drew sharp criticism from social activist Anjali Damania. “From youth state president to directly promoted to party general secretary? Is this the good government of Maharashtra?” she posted on X. “A person involved in brawls is made the party’s general secretary by the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. Wonderful.”

Chavan remained unavailable for comment.

In another significant organisational move, the party appointed senior leader and former minister Nawab Malik as chairperson of its election management committee for Mumbai, ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls likely early next year. In the absence of a city unit president, Malik is expected to wield complete control over preparations for the crucial civic election.

The nine-member committee includes working presidents Shivajirao Nalawade and Siddharth Kamble, MLA Sana Malik, former MLA Zeeshan Siddique, and office-bearers Santosh Dhuwali (state general secretary), Bhaskar Vichare (state vice-president), Sanjay Tatkare (state spokesperson) and Raju Ghuge.

“In the backdrop of BMC polls, it was decided to form an election management committee for Mumbai under the chairmanship of the senior party leader Nawabhai Malik. With the guidance of this committee and the active participation of all workers, I am fully confident that the NCP will perform effectively in the BMC elections,” Pawar said in a post on X.

“With the decision, Malik has become the de facto head of the Mumbai unit,” said a senior NCP leader.

The Mumbai president’s post has been vacant since Sameer Bhujbal resigned to contest the state assembly elections from Nandgaon in Nashik as an independent candidate. Malik’s appointment is also seen as part of the leadership’s effort to bring him back into mainstream politics. Last year, he was fielded from the Mankhurd–Shivaji Nagar constituency despite objections from the BJP.