Big blow to Ajit Pawar: Another top NCP leader on his way out ahead of Maharashtra polls

In a major setback for the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), senior leader Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar has expressed regret over deserting Sharad Pawar, fueling speculation of his return to the Sharad Pawar-led faction ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Speaking at an event in Phaltan on his 75th birthday, Nimbalkar, who served as a Cabinet minister from November 2010 to June 2013, admitted he feels "guilty" for joining Ajit Pawar's camp but claimed his decision was driven by a desire to protect his workers.

"I feel guilty about deserting (Sharad) Pawar saheb, who made me a minister in 2009, though I was not even a legislator. I did so to ensure the security of my workers. But that doesn’t seem to be happening," said Nimbalkar, the former chairperson of the state legislative council. His comments come amid growing speculation that he may rejoin the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Nimbalkar joined Ajit Pawar, who in July 2023 broke away with several MLAs to join the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance. However, Nimbalkar has recently hinted at dissatisfaction with his decision, stating, "I went with Ajit Pawar for the safety and security of my workers, but that didn't happen."

He further revealed that he had informed Ajit Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that he would not campaign for BJP MP Ranjit Nimbalkar during the recent Lok Sabha elections. Nimbalkar also indicated that he would consult his workers before making a final decision about his political future.

In the wake of the Lok Sabha elections, several leaders from the Ajit Pawar camp have either resigned or shown an inclination to return to Sharad Pawar's NCP. In July, four leaders from NCP's Pimpri-Chinchwad unit resigned and joined Sharad Pawar's faction, including local unit chief Ajit Gavahane and former corporators Rahul Bhosale and Pankaj Bhalekar.

Sharad Pawar recently claimed that some MLAs from the breakaway faction have already met with senior NCP leaders, suggesting a possible return to his fold.

Nimbalkar also commented on the upcoming delimitation process, predicting an increase in seats in urban areas like Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik, which could account for about 125 of the total 288 assembly seats. "You need 144 for a simple majority," he noted. 

Nimbalkar is the father-in-law of state assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who is a sitting BJP MLA from Colaba.