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A full-blown intra-party tussle broke out in the Nationalist Congress Party as rival factions went on a sacking spree on Monday to tighten their grip over the organisation and sought disqualification of lawmakers in each other's camps, a day after sudden induction of Ajit Pawar as deputy CM caused a political upheaval in Maharashtra.
Soon after NCP president Sharad Pawar removed party working president Praful Patel and general secretary Sunil Tatkare for engaging in "anti-party” activities, the faction owing allegiance to Ajit Pawar hit back by sacking state unit president Jayant Patil and making new appointments.
Patel appointed Ajit Pawar as the leader of the NCP legislature party.
The tit for tat actions came a day after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government as deputy chief minister along with eight other NCP MLAs who were inducted as ministers.
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.”
He tagged Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP who was appointed as NCP working president last month, and Tatkare in his tweet.
Later, the NCP supremo issued notices to Patel and Tatkare, who is also a Lok Sabha MP.
Accusing them of facilitating and spearheading defections of nine MLAs without his knowledge and consent, the senior Pawar, in his letter, said "Your action of supporting Shri Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs who have sworn oath as ministers in violation of the party's direction and mandate amounts to anti-party activities".
"I remove your names from the membership register of the party in view of your actions," Sharad Pawar said.
The party is initiating appropriate action for formal disqualification of Patel and Tatkare as MPs under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, the letter said.
It added that "misrepresentation of association with NCP henceforth will be illegal and unlawful" on the part of Patel and Tatkare.
Sharad Pawar's action came soon after NCP working president Supriya Sule, in a letter, demanded action against Patel and Tatkare, whose daughter is one of the new ministers in the Shinde cabinet.
The Ajit Pawar camp soon hit back by appointing Tatkare as the Maharashtra NCP president in place of Jayant Patil. It also asked the Maharashtra assembly speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad from membership of the House.
Praful Patel told a press conference he has appointed Ajit Pawar as the leader of the NCP legislature party, while Anil Bhaidas Patil, who took oath as a minister on Sunday, will continue to be the party whip in the assembly.
Patel said the decision to back the Eknath Shinde-led government and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a "collective" move by the NCP.
"Today (Monday) is Guru Purnima; we all wish that Sharad Pawar continues to bless us," said Patel.
Patel said instead of asking them how many MLAs are in the Ajit Pawar camp, the question should be put to the other side (rival group).
He said Anil Patil, who was among the ministers who joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government on Sunday, will continue to be NCP's whip in the Maharashtra assembly.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was present at the press meet, said he enjoyed the support of "maximum" NCP legislators and said he has given a letter to the assembly speaker, seeking disqualification of party
MLAs Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad (who belong to rival group) from the House.
"A majority of NCP MLAs are with us, that is why I became deputy CM. We have requested the Maharashtra assembly speaker to disqualify Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad," he said.
Ajit Pawar said the party and MLAs were with him and the notice for disqualification against him and the eight newly sworn-in ministers was meaningless.
Asked whether he will expel anybody from the party, including NCP working president and his cousin Sule, Ajit Pawar shot back, "We are not here to expel anybody from our party."
The deputy CM said he had the party with him and also its symbol (clock).
"Whatever we are doing is in the interest of the party. We will strengthen our party further, " he said.
Asked who was the NCP's national head, Ajit Pawar said, "The party national president is Sharad Pawar. Have you forgotten?"
He said the Leader of Opposition in the assembly is appointed by the Speaker and not by a party functionary.
"Law will decide if we have rebelled. Only the Election Commission of India will decide to whom the party belongs," said Ajit Pawar and added the 'mahayuti' government (led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) in Maharashtra will work for welfare of the state and its people.
The deputy CM said, "We have given 'guru dakshina' (tradition of thanks-giving and acknowledging role of guru/teacher in one's life)" to the senior Pawar.
"We got the deputy chief minister's post and we will work for welfare of the state," said Ajit Pawar.
The deputy CM staked claim to the NCP and its symbol and said the Election Commission of India will decide whom the party belongs to.
The junior Pawar took a dim view of Jayant Patil appointing Awhad as the Leader of Opposition in the assembly.
"It is the prerogative of the Speaker and the Opposition party with highest number of seats gets the post," he said.
The deputy CM scoffed at notice of disqualification against him and eight newly sworn-in ministers and also sacking of Patel and Tatkare as well as office-bearers who attended Sunday's oath taking ceremony.
The Ajit Pawar camp has not yet announced the number of MLAs supporting them.
The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member assembly.