NCP chief Sunetra Pawar
He said the party’s national working committee had appointed him for a five-year term ending in Nov 2028 and that his removal required a decision by the same committee. He also claimed that a 90-day advance notice was required to convene such a meeting and that the prescribed procedure had not been followed. Its sitting MLC Satish Chavan lost to NCP (SP) candidate Pratapsinh Patil in the only seat the party contested in the state.
Appealing to party chief Sunetra Pawar, Shrivastav said it had been less than a year since Ajit Pawar’s sudden death and that disregarding his decisions was fuelling disappointment and anger among his supporters. He said that, as Ajit Pawar’s wife, she was expected to uphold his legacy by respecting the democratic decisions taken under his leadership. “The time has come for urgent introspection to rebuild trust, realign our priorities, and fix our organisational structure,” he said in a social media post. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, state NCP president Sunil Tatkare said Patel was a senior leader associated with the party since its formation and that his views carried importance. “When the core group of the party meets, we will have to consider his thoughts and think about it,” he said. Former MLC Amol Mitkari also said it was time for the party to introspect after the MLC poll results and said, “Every level of the party must introspect to strengthen Sunetra Pawar’s leadership.
Pune: A reshuffle of key posts in the NCP has triggered internal dissent, with a senior functionary resigning and another challenging an appointment on constitutional grounds, exposing growing tensions over the party’s organisational decisions. The developments followed the appointment of MLC Zeeshan Siddiqui as president of the party’s Mumbai unit, prompting working president Siddharth Kamble to resign. Kamble had been aspiring to the president’s post and claimed that late party chief Ajit Pawar had assured him that his demand would be considered. The appointment of Umesh Patil as national chief spokesperson has also drawn objections from incumbent spokesperson Brijesh Shrivastav, who alleged that the decision violated the party constitution. The controversy unfolded within hours of the NCP losing the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar graduates’ constituency in the legislative council elections. Meanwhile, NCP national working president Praful Patel called for urgent introspection and organisational restructuring following the party’s electoral setback. Otherwise, the party may have to pay the price for organisational shortcomings in the upcoming elections.”