NCP divided on dy CM replacement
While the Congress has decided to replace the Maharashtra chief minister, there is a major division in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on whether to replace the deputy chief minister as well or not.
The Ajit Pawar camp in the NCP is currently supporting replacing the DCM also. On the other hand, Chhagan Bhujbal supporters naturally do not want the change.
The NCP has convened a meeting of its legislators in Mumbai on Wednesday. The meeting is being held in the backdrop of Ashok Chavan’s resignation. An NCP leader and an Ajit Pawar supporter said that power and energy minister Ajit Pawar, who missed out on the DCM portfolio a year ago, would try his luck once again this time around.
“Since Mr Chavan has resigned, his Cabinet will also be dissolved. Once the new CM is declared, he will select his new Cabinet. As per the precedent, the NCP will also hold its legislative party’s meeting to elect its leader. We will demand a change in the NCP legislative party’s leadership,” the leader said.
Mr Bhujbal also appeared to be not entirely sure about a status quo in the NCP regarding his post.
When asked whether there would be any change in the NCP, he said, “There are no indications about any changes in our party as of now.”
However, sources from the NCP said that the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting is to re-elect Mr Bhujbal as the NCP legislative party’s leader. “The meeting will take stock of the political developments in the state. A resolution re-electing Chhagan Bhujbal as leader of the NCP legislature party is likely to be adopted.”
Last year, NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar had been in the race for the NCP legislature party group leader and had the support of a majority of MLAs, but ultimately, Mr Bhujbal had bagged the coveted post.
Post new comment