Sunetra Pawar calls urgent NCP core committee meeting at Devgiri amid reports of rift

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has called an urgent meeting of the party's core committee on Wednesday. The meeting will be held at her official residence, Devgiri. It comes amid talk of tension between senior leaders and younger members.

The core committee first met on Monday. On Sunday, before that, a delegation of senior party leaders had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The leaders are said to have voiced concern that MP Parth Pawar is running the party unilaterally and that they are being left out of key decisions.

On Tuesday, the party's MLAs and ministers also expressed concern over internal differences. They said the organisation was getting weaker for want of unity, and that grassroots workers were confused about the direction in which the leadership was headed.

Sources said the core committee is expected to discuss visits by ministers, MLAs and MPs to drought-hit areas, and the activation of a programme to strengthen the party organisation.

The meeting held at Sunetra Pawar's residence on Tuesday was attended by national working president Praful Patel, state president Sunil Tatkare, senior leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil, and more than 20 MLAs. Several leaders are said to have spoken about the impact of the internal conflict on the party's image. Tatkare asked the MLAs to tour drought-affected areas, understand farmers' grievances and help them get government assistance.

Minister Makrand Patil and MLAs Anil Bhaidas Patil and Sangram Jagtap are said to have questioned the differences among senior leaders. They said the party would keep weakening if unity was not visible. Anil Bhaidas Patil said the finance portfolio, which the NCP held before Ajit Pawar's death, is now with the BJP, and efforts should be made to get it back.

Some MLAs also complained about the constituents of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Most MLAs, including Sunil Shelke, said proposals for their constituencies were not moving in the departments held by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Makrand Patil alleged BJP dominance and said the BJP had weakened its allies. He claimed that in the Satara Zilla Parishad election the BJP sidelined the NCP and the Shiv Sena, and that this is why the two parties came together and fought the BJP in the recent Satara District Central Cooperative Bank election.

MLA Saroj Ahire alleged that the BJP and the Nashik district administration were not sharing information with her about projects linked to the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. MLA Hiraman Khosakar warned that the NCP could suffer in the 2029 Assembly elections if funds were distributed unevenly. After the senior leaders themselves asked them to speak freely, the MLAs put questions to the leadership about the ongoing internal conflict.

At Monday's core committee meeting, the senior leaders briefed Sunetra Pawar on their discussion with Shah. The delegation is said to have told her that the BJP leadership is worried about the NCP's organisational condition and has asked for steps to improve it. Sources said the lack of collective leadership was the main point of discussion. A leader aware of the meeting said: "The lack of collective leadership in the party was discussed, but they were told that NCP leaders must ensure the party's work runs smoothly."

"These leaders were told that the problems in the NCP organisation do not affect only them but, because they are in the Mahayuti, the entire ruling alliance. If these issues are not resolved, the alliance will face difficulties," the source said.

The NCP, however, denied that the meeting with Shah reflected internal differences. National spokesperson Umesh Patil said Sunetra Pawar had informed the Home Minister in advance that a delegation of senior leaders would call on him, and the meeting was fixed accordingly. Umesh Patil said: "It is most unfortunate that the meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior Nationalist Congress Party leaders is being given an unnecessary political colour, and an attempt is being made to paint a picture of internal differences in the party." He also alleged that "some invisible forces" were trying to create an artificial impression of differences over leadership and a lack of coordination in the party.