News Analysis India

Tag: NCP

  • MVA sweeps in fiercely fought Maharashtra district, taluka panchayat polls

    By Express News Service

    MUMBAI:  The ruling MAHA Vikas Aghadi (MVA) emerged victorious in the local body polls in Maharashtra.

    It won 46 seats out of the total of 85 seats. 

    In Maharashtra, the district panchayat bypolls were fought fiercely by all parties. Out of 85 seats of the district panchayat, the BJP won 22 seats, Congress 19, Shiv Sena 12, NCP 12 and CPI (I) only one. 

    In Taluka panchayat elections, out of 144 seats, the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 36 seats.

    The BJP got 33 seats, NCP 18, Shiv Sena 23 and MNS only one.

    The biggest setback to the BJP was in Nagpur where it lost to the Congress.

    The Congress won the maximum nine seats out of 16. The BJP won only three seats. While NCP won two seats, Peasant and workers Party secured only one seat.

    Congress minister Ashok Chavan said the Congress had emerged as the single largest party in taluka panchayat.

    “We are gaining ground in Maharashtra. People have rejected the BJP because of their double standard role in Maratha and OBC reservations.” 

    Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis claimed that the BJP had emerged as the single largest party in Maharashtra.   

    “I am grateful to all the people who voted for the BJP. In district and taluka panchayat elections, people were firmly with the BJP. The election result shows that the BJP continues to get space in Maharashtra even though no big leader had campaigned in local body bypolls,” he said.

  • BJP will pay a heavy price Lakhimpur Kheri incident, says Sharad Pawar 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar warned the BJP on Tuesday that it will have to pay a heavy price for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and asserted that the entire opposition is with the farmers.

    Describing the violence as an “attack on farmers”, Pawar, a former Union Agriculture Minister, said its responsibility lies with the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh and the “people will show them their place.”

    “Whether it is government at the Centre or in Uttar Pradesh, they are not sensitive at all.

    The kind of situation that was created in Jallianwala Bagh, we are witnessing a similar situation in Uttar Pradesh.

    Today or tomorrow, they will have to pay a heavy price for it,” he told reporters here, joining the chorus of criticism over the Sunday incident in which eight persons were killed.

    Expressing anguish over the deaths, Pawar assured the farmers that the entire opposition is with them and will soon take a call on the future course of action.

    He also demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.

    “I just want to tell them that they would not succeed in suppressing the farmers’ voice.

    Farmers from the entire country are united and will fight against this misuse of power by those sitting in government,” he said Pawar accused the BJP governments of being “insensitive”, saying they are “not even ready to express grief over the death of farmers”.

    He also lashed out at the UP government for preventing opposition leaders, including MPs and chief ministers, from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri.

    It is like murdering their fundamental rights in a democracy, he alleged.

    “This can be done for a day or two but in the long term, they wouldn’t succeed. People will show them their place,” Pawar said while asserting that opposition is united on this issue. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also on Tuesday called for joint action by political parties against this “oppression”.

    The Shiv Sena and the Congress, along with NCP, jointly run the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, after the Sena quit the BJP-led NDA alliance in 2019.

    “Lakhimpur Kheri violence has shaken the nation, Priyanka Gandhi has been arrested by the UP government, opposition leaders are being restricted from meeting farmers.

    There is a need for joint opposition action against oppression by the Government in UP,” Raut tweeted.

    Eight people were killed Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur.

    Four of the dead were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers. The others were BJP workers and a driver who were allegedly pulled out of the vehicles and lynched by the protesters.

    The UP Police has lodged a case against Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son but no arrest has been made so far.

  • BJP will pay a heavy price for Lakhimpur Kheri incident, says Sharad Pawar 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar warned the BJP on Tuesday that it will have to pay a heavy price for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and asserted that the entire opposition is with the farmers.

    Describing the violence as an “attack on farmers”, Pawar, a former Union Agriculture Minister, said its responsibility lies with the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh and the “people will show them their place.”

    “Whether it is government at the Centre or in Uttar Pradesh, they are not sensitive at all. The kind of situation that was created in Jallianwala Bagh, we are witnessing a similar situation in Uttar Pradesh. Today or tomorrow, they will have to pay a heavy price for it,” he told reporters here, joining the chorus of criticism over the Sunday incident in which eight persons were killed.

    Expressing anguish over the deaths, Pawar assured the farmers that the entire opposition is with them and will soon take a call on the future course of action.

    He also demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.

    “I just want to tell them that they would not succeed in suppressing the farmers’ voice. Farmers from the entire country are united and will fight against this misuse of power by those sitting in government,” he said Pawar accused the BJP governments of being “insensitive”, saying they are “not even ready to express grief over the death of farmers”.

    He also lashed out at the UP government for preventing opposition leaders, including MPs and chief ministers, from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri.

    It is like murdering their fundamental rights in a democracy, he alleged.

    “This can be done for a day or two but in the long term, they wouldn’t succeed. People will show them their place,” Pawar said while asserting that opposition is united on this issue. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also on Tuesday called for joint action by political parties against this “oppression”.

    The Shiv Sena and the Congress, along with NCP, jointly run the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, after the Sena quit the BJP-led NDA alliance in 2019.

    “Lakhimpur Kheri violence has shaken the nation, Priyanka Gandhi has been arrested by the UP government, opposition leaders are being restricted from meeting farmers. There is a need for joint opposition action against oppression by the Government in UP,” Raut tweeted.

    Eight people were killed Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur.

    Four of the dead were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers. The others were BJP workers and a driver who were allegedly pulled out of the vehicles and lynched by the protesters.

    The UP Police has lodged a case against Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son but no arrest has been made so far.

  • Maharashtra Governor’s residence has become ‘venue for political activities’: NCP

    There is nothing new in the BJP leaders and workers going to the Raj Bhavan to meet him, the NCP leader said.

  • ‘Nizam followers ruling some areas of Marathwada’: Awhad’s jibe to Owaisi

    By PTI

    AURANGABAD: The people of Marathwada fought and liberated themselves from the rule of the (Hyderabad) Nizam but “followers” of the latter’s policies are now ruling many local bodies in the region, state minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad said here on Sunday.

    He was apparently referring to the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen that has a strong presence in the region, with one of its members, Imtiaz Jaleel, being Aurangabad Lok Sabha MP.

    “The people of Marathwada stood firmly against the Nizam who chose Pakistan when asked to choose between India and Pakistan during Independence.

    However, followers of the Nizam’s policies are now ruling several local bodies in Marathwada,” Awhad said.

    The AIMIM is often accused by opponents of having historical ties to the Nizam’s rule in the erstwhile state of Hyderabad, with its Aurangabad MP Jaleel being routinely asked about his absence from official Marathwada Liberation Day celebrations held every year on September 17.

    Awhad was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Marathwada Marathi Literary Meet organised by the Marathwada Sahitya Parishad and Loksamvad Foundation.

  • Why wait for alliance when you are used to fighting alone: Sanjay Raut on civic polls

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said his party should be prepared to contest civic polls, due early next year in around 10 Maharashtra cities, on its own and they are in favour of an alliance if it materialises with respect, but there will be no compromise on the party’s saffron flag.

    Addressing party workers at Bhosari in Pimpri-Chinchwad town of neighbouring Pune, Raut said there is resentment among the Sena cadre in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad that the NCP, which is strong in the two cities, is “neglecting” the Uddhav Thackeray-led party despite being its alliance partner in the state government.

    Referring to Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s current visit to New Delhi, Raut in a lighter vein said he was there to take stock of the “Delhi way of functioning”.

    Noting that there was resentment among the Shiv Sena workers in Pune and Pimpri-Chichwad over the NCP “neglecting” their party ahead of the civic polls due next year, the Rajya Sabha member said, “Don’t upset us, otherwise there will be a problem. (NCP leader) Ajit Pawar, who is Pune’s gaurdian minister, also listens to the chief minister. So, local NCP leaders should also accommodate the Shiv Sena.”

    He said it was upsetting that the Shiv Sena had not been able to unfurl its saffron flag at the civic bodies of the two cities.

    “We are used to fighting alone. Why wait for an alliance? Let us plan to contest all seats. If an alliance materialises with respect and dignity, its okay. There will be no compromise over our saffron flag,” the Sena leader said.

    Raut further said come what may, “we have to have our own mayor in Pimpri-Chinchwad”.

    “If we can get the chief minister’s post with 56 MLAs, we can get the mayor’s post with 40 to 50 corporators,” the Sena’s chief spokesperson said.

    After the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Shiv Sena parted ways with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post and forged an alliance with the NCP and Congress to form government.

  • Maharashtra: FIR against BJP’s Pravin Darekar over his ‘painted cheeks’ remarks against NCP

    By PTI

    PUNE: A case was registered on Wednesday against Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, Pravin Darekar, here for allegedly saying that NCP would “kiss any painted cheeks” on a complaint of a party leader, a police officer said.

    An FIR was registered at the Sinhgad Road police station under section 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rupali Chakankar lodged a complaint.

    Speaking at a programme in Pune’s Shirur tehsil, Darekar had said in Marathi that the NCP is the party of the people who are powerful, established and well-connected.

    “The NCP is the party that would kiss painted cheeks”.

    Chakankar had alleged Darekar insulted the women of Maharashtra with his remarks and asked him to apologise or “face consequences”.

    She said Darekar’s party (BJP) has a history of disrespecting women and he continued with it.

    “We have registered an FIR under section 509 of the IPC against Darekar. The case has been transferred to Shirur for further probe,” said Devidas Gheware, senior police inspector, Sinhgad police station.

  • NCP supremo Sharad Pawar frowns over new language of politics

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed disapproval about the “new type of discourse” in politics, referring to a phrase that refers to disembowelment.

    The Marathi word `kothala’ (intestines) was recently used by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut figuratively while rebutting former Sena ally BJP’s accusation of `stabbing in the back’.

    Pawar was speaking at the inauguration of an art gallery named for late socialist leader Mrinal Gore in suburban Goregaon.

    “When Mrinal-tai was the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, I faced severe criticism (from her), but we would set aside our differences after the session was over. We would discuss issues related to the welfare of the state,” Pawar said.

    “Nobody in those days would use words like ‘kothala’.

    Now a days, one is seeing a different type of discourse,” he added.

    Raut, who is incidentally considered to be close to Pawar, had said during a function on September 4 that Shiv Sena does not stab in the back; it attacks from the front and “disembowels” the enemy.

    He was responding to Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil’s jibe that `back-stabbing’ is now associated with a new face.

    Patil was apparently referring to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray who severed ties with the BJP in 2019 and formed alliance with NCP and Congress.

    Pawar had in the past faced allegations of “back-stabbing” when he defected and pulled down a Congress government led by Vasant Dada Patil in 1978 and became the youngest chief minister of Maharashtra by forming alliance with other parties.

  • Noted Lavani artiste Surekha Punekar joins NCP in Maharashtra

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Noted Lavani artiste Surekha Punekar joined the ruling NCP in Maharashtra in the presence senior party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar here on Thursday. Talking to reporters after the induction, Punekar said she wanted to serve the people and resolve the issues faced by women.

    “My entry into the party is unconditional,” she said. BJP leader Pravin Darekar had stoked a controversy on Tuesday by saying that the NCP is a party which would “kiss any painted face”.

    Referring to the remark, Punekar said it was an insult of women. “Every woman does make-up. This is an insult of women and he should apologise,” she said. Apart from Punekar, singer Devyani Bendre also joined the NCP.

    Speaking on the occasion, Pawar said successive governments in the state have always encouraged folk art and artistes. “Just like NCP cadres include people from all castes and religions, the party also has people from all professions,” he said.

  • BJP leader Kirit Somaiya accuses Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif of corruption

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Monday accused NCP functionary and rural development minister Hasan Mushrif of indulging in corrupt practices and holding ‘benami’ entities through his family members and companies.

    The NCP, a key constituent of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government, hit out at Somaiya and accused him of making baseless allegations against leaders of the ruling coalition. Addressing a press conference here, Somaiya alleged Mushrif and his family members created a web of companies and had transactions with Kolkata-based shell companies.

    The former Member of Parliament from Mumbai claimed that financial transactions showed their bank accounts receiving income from companies which actually did not exist. Somaiya said he had submitted dubious financial transactions and “non- transparent” income details of the Mushrif family to the I-T department.

    He demanded a multi-agency investigation, involving the income tax department, the ED and the ACB, into financial transactions worth Rs 100 crore carried out by the Mushrifs. NCP spokesman and state minister Nawab Malik hit out at Somaiya and accused him of making baseless allegations against MVA leaders.

    ”The court has discharged NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in the Maharashtra Sadan case in which Somaiya had levelled allegations against him. No one takes Somaiya seriously now,” Malik said.

    Last week, a special court in Mumbai discharged Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and seven others in the 2015 case related to alleged irregularities in the construction of Maharashtra Sadan (state government guest house) in Delhi.

    Malik said there was nothing wrong in political leaders and their family members doing business that was legal. “In 2019, Hasan Mushrif was raided. If there is any wrongdoing (in that case), action will be taken,” Malik said.

    In July 2019, the I-T department had carried out searches at the residence of Mushrif, then an MLA, and the sugar mill run by him in Kolhapur district over alleged discrepancies in the mill’s account books.