Supriya Sule's emotional appeal to NCP leaders: 'Support 83-year-old warrior'

Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, leaders of rival factions in the NCP, are preparing for a showdown as they both call meetings to gather support.

MUMBAI: With the two rival factions led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and NCP chief Sharad Pawar preparing for a showdown, Wednesday could turn out to be a red letter day in the battle for the NCP. Both leaders have asked all the MLAs, MPs and other office-bearers of the party to be present at meetings called by them—while Pawar will hold his meeting at the Y B Chavan Centre, the Ajit faction will meet at the MET Bhujbal Knowledge City, Bandra.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar with party leader Supriya Sule during party office bearers' meet, (PTI file)

Both factions are now preparing for an all-out legal war to take control of the party. The Ajit faction needs at least 36 MLAs to avoid disqualification under the provisions of the anti-defection law, and Wednesday’s meeting is an attempt by both factions to pull over maximum party members to their side.

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Pawar has been personally calling legislators, MPs and other senior office bearers to be with him in his time of adversity. “This is the right time, take the appropriate decision,” Pawar is said to have told an MLA on the phone.

NCP working president Supriya Sule and state president Jayant Patil have released video messages, asking all NCP office-bearers and leaders to attend the meeting. “I will be waiting for you all,” Sule said in a 54-second video message. “The 83-year old warrior and our beloved leader Sharad Pawar will be there to guide us all. He will tell us the future plans of the party and our responsibilities.” Jitendra Awhad, appointed the opposition chief whip, also issued a whip, directing all the legislators to be present for Pawar’s meeting.

On the other side, Ajit too held meetings with senior leaders and telephoned several MLAs and others. The Ajit faction has already taken affidavits from the legislators and senior office-bearers as part of its plans to claim control of the NCP.

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The clash between the two factions spilled on to the streets on Tuesday when supporters of Ajit and Chhagan Bhujbal took possession of the party office in Nashik city, leading to a vociferous protest by local Sharad Pawar loyalists. When the latter tried to enter the office, there was a face-off and the police stopped them, including district NCP chief Kondaji Awhad and former city unit president Gajanan Shelar. “This is the Rashtrawadi Pratishthan’s office headed by Sharad Pawar,” said Shelar. “Bhujbal has nothing to do with it. They are all our leaders but Sharad Pawar has founded the NCP and it is his party. We will take possession of the office within a day.”

Awhad claimed that he had the right to hold a meeting in the office, as he was district NCP chief. Bhujbal supporter Dilip Khaire, who said they would not allow the other group to enter the office, accused Awhad of attending the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday but changing his stand later. City NCP chief Ravindra Pagar said that everybody was a Sharad Pawar supporter and he would attend a meeting called by Bhujbal. “Everyone should maintain peace,” he added. Sharad Pawar supporters staged a sit-in outside the office before leaving the spot.

A similar incident took place in Nagpur as well.

Meanwhile, NCP MLAs Sunil Shelke and Kiran Lahamte, who were present for the swearing-in ceremony, said they were under the impression that Pawar had agreed to join the coalition government. “We are not big enough to ask Pawar saheb whether he had agreed or not,” Shelke told reporters on Wednesday. “Since senior leaders like Supriya Sule, Praful Patel, Dilip Walse Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal were present for the Sunday meeting, we thought that even Pawar saheb was ready to join the government.”

Added Dr Lahamte, “We also signed the affidavits. The same evening, Pawar saheb personally called and asked me to come back. I told him that I would ask the people of my constituency and do whatever they wanted.”