The crisis in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is escalating with the Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar-led factions calling separate meetings on Wednesday 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.
"We will see the number of leaders sitting in on the stage and at other places. Supporters are signing papers and they are asked from where have they come. The exact number of leaders can only be seen on the stage," Bhujbal said.
Both factions of the NCP have issued a whip for a show of strength today. While Ajit Pawar has summoned all the legislators at 11 am to the Mumbai Education Trust in Bandra, the Sharad Pawar-led camp has called for a meeting of MLAs and other leaders at 1 pm at YB Chavan Centre.
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.