A day after joining the NDA government in Maharashtra led by Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday stated that the NCP's national president will be Sharad Pawar, ANI reported. When questioned about who will be the NCP's national president, Ajit Pawar said: "Have you forgotten that Sharad Pawar is the party's national president?"
Ajit Pawar, nephew of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar, was sworn in as Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, joining CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis.
Ajit Pawar explained his decision by saying, "majority of NCP MLAs are with us, that is why I became Deputy CM."
Ajit Pawar further stated that Praful Patel has selected Sunil Tatkare as the head of the Maharashtra NCP unit.
Ajit Pawar has begun a game of disqualification, claiming that his group of the NCP has asked the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to remove Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad.
On Monday, NCP national president Sharad Pawar fired Praful Patel as the party's working president and ordered his name to be removed from the NCP member record. Sunil Tatkare, another 'rebel' MLA, was also expelled from the party for anti-party activity.
Sharad Pawar, in a tweet, said: "I, as the National President, of Nationalist Congress Party hereby order the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the Register of Members of NCP Party for anti-party activities."
Nationalist Congress Party working President Supriya Sule has also written to Party Supremo Sharad Pawar, requesting that MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare be disqualified for allegedly engaging in anti-party actions.