Sharad Pawar Camp Workers Being Made To Sign Affidavit To Show Support Ahead Of Meeting

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.

NCP supporters of Sharad Pawar faction shout slogans outside the Y B Chavan Centre ahead of a party meeting, in Mumbai

Workers in the Sharad Pawar camp are being made to sign an affidavit to show their support to the faction led by the NCP chief after the camp led by Ajit Pawar joined the BJP.  The leaders are asked to sign and submit an affidavit saying that they are loyal to the party and Sharad Pawar. They have allegiance to him and consider only Pawar as their leader. This comes ahead of the crucial meetings called by both the camps in an apparent show of strength..

Supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar have gathered outside YB Chavan Centre ahead of the meeting called by the party chief.  NCP Working President and MP, Supriya Sule also reached YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai for the meeting called by Sharad Pawar. Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who belongs to the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, said that the exact number of leaders can only be seen on the stage, reported ANI. 

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.

NCP suffered a split on Sunday with Ajit Pawar joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government along with eight other MLAs.

The NCP led by Sharad Pawar has moved a disqualification petition against the nine MLAs to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal along with Dilip Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Mundo, Dharmaraobaba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil joined Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis Maharashtra government on Sunday.

Sharad Pawar has removed his close aide Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from the party for "anti-party activities".

Praful Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP, has been a close associate of Pawar and was appointed working president of NCP last month. He was a minister in the Congress-led UPA government along with Pawar.Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule had written to him for action against the two MPs.