Ahead of the NCP leaders' meeting called by Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, his supporters gathered and met him at his Devgiri Bungalow in Mumbai in a show of strength amid the ongoing political crisis in the state. This comes as rival factions of the NCP have called a meeting of the party leaders in what is seen to be a show of strength to stake claim over the control of the party. The meetings are expected to bring some clarity on the number of MLAs supporting each camp after Ajit Pawar formulated a split in the NCP by joining the Maharashtra government.
Sharad Pawar has convened the meeting of MLAs, MPs, and office-bearers at 1 pm at Y B Chavan Centre in south Mumbai, PTI reported. Jayant Patil of the Sharad Pawar NCP camp said all office-bearers, heads of frontal cells of NCP, district unit presidents, working committee members, party workers at the taluka level, MLAs, MLCs and MPs have been asked to attend the meeting.
The Ajit Pawar camp will meet on the premises of the Mumbai Education Trust (MET) in suburban Bandra at 11 am. On Tuesday, the chief whip of the Sharad Pawar faction, Jitendra Awhad, issued a whip to all MLAs asking them to remain present. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.
NCP leader Praful Patel said on Tuesday that 40 MLAs were with the Ajit Pawar faction of the party, ANI reported. "We have 40+ MLAs with us, there is no question about that," Patel said.
Ajit Pawar has claimed that a majority of NCP MLAs were backing him even as the Sharad Pawar camp claimed the deputy CM enjoyed the support of only 13 MLAs. Ajit Pawar will need the support of at least 36 NCP MLAs to not attract the provisions of the anti-defection law.
The Sharad Pawar faction has already moved a disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar and the eight MLAs who took oath as ministers.