In a huge setback to Ajit Pawar, four top Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders from Pimpri-Chinchwad, including the Students' Wing Chief, have quit. They are set to join the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar on July 20, The Indian Express reported citing sources aware of the matter. NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief Ajit Gavhane told the publication that he has submitted his resignation to the party president.
Gavhane was, however, not the only one to leave the NCP. Others who tendered their resignations are NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad Students' Wing chief Yash Sane, former corporators Rahul Bhosale and Pankaj Bhalekar.
The former NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief further said that besides them, there are other former corporators and leaders who are planning to quit the party. He further said that they are all supporting him and that he would hold a press conference on Wednesday to elaborate further on the same.
Ajit Gavhane reportedly quit NCP-Ajit Pawar after he could not get the Bhosari Assembly seat for the NCP despite all his efforts. He had also recently met Deputy CM Ajit Pawar amid reports that he wants to contest from the assembly seat, which has been won by BJP's Mahesh Landge twice.
Commenting on the development, NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil said that any party leader leaving is a setback but expressed confidence that Gavhane will stay in the party fold. "Ajit Gavhane is known for his proximity to our leader Ajit Pawar. And therefore, we are sure he won't take any decision in haste," Patil said.
The development came almost a week after Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar said that some rebel MLAs from the Ajit camp are in touch with his party's senior leader Jayant Patil, who heads the Maharashtra unit of NCP (SP).
The NCP split into 2 factions after a rebellion by Ajit Pawar against his uncle in 2023. While Sharad Pawar remained with the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Ajit joined the Mahayuti government and became Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's deputy.