Pawar Backs Ex-Allies Patel, Tatkare Despite NCP Leadership Clash

Amid escalating tensions in Maharashtra politics, Sharad Pawar, president of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Thursday vouched for the leadership prowess of Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, his erstwhile colleagues now aligned with the rival NCP camp. 'I won't comment on happenings in other parties,' Pawar began, before adding, 'But having shared years of governance and key roles with Patel and Tatkare, I'm well aware of their competence. Their current leadership's view might differ.' This comes as the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faces internal upheaval. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar wrote to the ECI requesting the removal of Patel and Tatkare from the national executive list—a step seen as a Pawar family maneuver to consolidate power. Tatkare's recent visit to Sharad Pawar was downplayed as a health check-in, not political. The drama intensified with Anand Paranjape's exit from NCP. The ex-MP and spokesperson, sidelined for the Rajya Sabha vacancy, is reportedly connecting with Shrikant Shinde of Shiv Sena. Pawar turned his attention to broader national issues, calling for PM-chaired all-party talks amid economic woes like the depreciating rupee. He lambasted empty symbolic acts by leaders, such as slashing car convoys, and warned against intemperate language. Specifically, he rebuked CM Fadnavis for labeling Rahul Gandhi a 'rejected entity,' reminding that the LoP role demands respect as a people's representative. Pawar questioned if Iran conflicts alone explain the rupee's slide, implying multifaceted causes.