News Analysis India

Tag: NCP

  • Sharad Pawar is ‘remote control’ of MVA government: Maharashtra Congress chief

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday described NCP chief Sharad Pawar as the “remote control” of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

    Patole made the remark while speaking to a regional news channel.

    The NCP is the second largest constituent of the MVA after the Shiv Sena, which heads the three-party ruling coalition.

    The Congress is the third partner in the MVA.

    Asked why he was not invited to Pawar’s residence on Tuesday when a group of state Congress leaders met the NCP patriarch, Patole said, “The meeting was for the state government and its coordination. It was not a party-level meeting. He (Pawar) is indeed the remote control of this MVA government.”

    Pawar is considered the chief architect of the MVA which came to power in November 2019 under the stewardship of Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

    ‘Remote control’ is a term commonly used to underscore a person’s influence over the government of the day without holding any constitutional post.

    The term was first used in Maharashtra in reference to Sena founder late Bal Thackeray during 1995-99 when the Shiv Sena-BJP combine was in power, to denote his considerable influence over the state government.

    Talking to reporters earlier in the day, Patole, in a veiled attack on the NCP in the context of the 2014 assembly elections, said his party was “cheated” seven years ago and it is now preparing for the 2024 general elections keeping that in mind.

    Patole was apparently referring to the NCP’s move to contest the 2014 assembly elections in Maharashtra separately.

    “The Congress has gone through such cheating. We want to ensure that in the next major election, we will not face such a situation again,” said the former state Assembly speaker.

    Patole recently kicked up a row when he sought to suggest that the MVA government was keeping an eye over his movements and claimed the Shiv Sena and the NCP feel the ground was slipping from beneath their feet due to his party’s growing influence.

    As his “under watch” remarks caused a flutter, Patole on Monday claimed wrong information was being spread through the media and asserted there was no dispute among MVA allies.

  • Not a candidate for presidential election: Sharad Pawar trashes media reports

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar has ruled out contesting the Presidential election due in 2022, sources in his party said on Wednesday, an assertion coming in the wake of speculation about the veteran politician becoming the opposition nominee for the top post.

    The sources said Pawar (80), a multiple-time CM of Maharashtra and a former Union minister, has rejected media reports about him becoming a candidate in the Presidential election.

    According to the sources, Pawar feels election result for someone contesting against the candidate of a party which has overwhelming numbers in Parliament will be a foregone conclusion.

    Apparently, poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s two meetings with Pawar a few days ago and his (Kishor) recent meetings with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi fuelled speculation in the media that these meets explored the possibility of the Maharashtra politician becoming the opposition candidate for India’s highest office.

    A source from the NCP, which is part of the coalition that rules Maharashtra, however, said Pawar has termed these reports as “false” and ruled out jumping into the Presidential poll fray.

    Pawar has reportedly said he did not have any discussion over the Presidential poll or about the 2024 general elections with Kishor.

    Such reports in the media are mere speculation, the sources said.

    NCP minister Nawab Malik said there has been no discussion within the party on the Presidential poll.

  • Nana Patole fires veiled barb at NCP, says Congress was cheated in 2014

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: In a veiled attack on the ally Nationalist Congress Party in the context of a past assembly election, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday said his party was “cheated” in 2014 and it is now preparing for the 2024 general elections keeping that in mind.

    Speaking to reporters here, Patole also said he was given the task to attack the opposition BJP and not the Sharad Pawar-led party or the Shiv Sena- all constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

    “We (Congress) were cheated in 2014 (polls). We are now preparing for the next Lok Sabha elections keeping that in mind,” said Patole, who often talks about the Congress contesting future elections solo.

    Patole was apparently referring to the NCP’s move to contest the 2014 assembly elections in Maharashtra separately.

    A faction of Congress believes that that decision of the NCP benefitted the BJP which won 122 seats and staked a claim for power.

    Notably, the NCP had then offered outside support to the BJP to form a government “in the interest and development of Maharashtra”.

    However, the BJP came to power with the support of the Shiv Sena.

    The saffron allies fell out after the 2019 Assembly elections after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party staked claim to the post of the chief minister.

    Before the 2014 Assembly elections, Congress was the single largest party in Maharashtra but it gradually slipped to the fourth position in terms of the number of MLAs in its fold.

    “A Congress-led government will come to power under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi in 2024. The BJP has put the whole nation on sale. People are suffering from the pandemic. Their situation is worsening with rising inflation,” Patole said, adding that only Congress can replace BJP at the national level.

    Patole recently kicked up a row when he sought to suggest that the MVA government was keeping an eye over his movements and claimed that allies Shiv Sena and NCP feel the ground was slipping from beneath their feet due to his party’s growing influence.

    As his remarks caused a flutter, Patole on Monday claimed wrong information was being spread through the media and asserted there was no dispute among MVA allies and the Congress was being deliberately targeted.

    Earlier, Patole had asked Congress workers to install a party leader in the chair of Pune guardian minister, a charge currently held by Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

    When asked about Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ on Wednesday observed that the Congress is forced on the backfoot in several states, Patole said, “The editorial also said that the way I have brought liveliness in the party, it should be replicated in other parts too. One should read it carefully.” 

    Commenting on senior Maharashtra Congress leaders, including revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, state in-charge H K Patil and PWD minister Ashok Chavan, meeting Sharad Pawar on Tuesday evening excluding him, Patole said, “I was not invited for the meeting. I was later told by my party colleagues that the meeting was about a proposed agitation against the BJP and its anti-OBC policies.

    “The way Devendra Fadnavis has sidelined OBC leaders in BJP, we wanted to highlight it. Due to mistakes committed by Fadnavis when he was chief minister, Maharashtra lost the OBC reservation in (local bodies) in the Supreme Court,” he added.

  • After ‘under watch’ remark, Patole says no rift in MVA; BJP seeks explanation from Uddhav

    By PTI
    MUMBAI/NAGPUR: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has sought to suggest the state government is keeping an eye over his movement and claimed that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Shiv Sena and the NCP feel the ground was slipping from beneath their feet due to his party’s growing influence.

    As his ‘under watch’ statement created a controversy, Patole on Monday claimed wrong information was being spread through the media and asserted there was no dispute among MVA allies and the Congress was being deliberately targeted.

    Reacting to Patole’s suggestion that his movement was being tracked, the NCP, which handles the home deparment, said his claim was based on incomplete information, while the Shiv Sena asserted that all was well in the ruling alliance.

    Wading into the row, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and deputy CM Ajit Pawar should give explanation on the allegations made by Patole.

    It all started with a speech the state Congress president gave in Lonavala, a hill station around 125km from Mumbai, during the weekend.

    Speaking at a meeting of party workers in Lonavala, Patole said the Congress is resurrecting itself in Maharashtra and this has caused disquiet among the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

    The MPCC did not name the two MVA partners while making a reference about them in his speech.

    The Congress is part of the three-party Shiv Sena-led MVA government.

    He also sought to hint that the government is keeping an eye on his activities.

    “Every morning at 9, intelligence report is submitted to the chief minister and the home minister on what is happening in the state. The Congress is resurrecting itself and the report is making the ground beneath their feet slip away. I am here in Lonavala but the report will go to them,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra govt sets up panel to probe phone-tapping allegations made by state Cong chief Nana Patole

    Patole later told a Marathi news channel that his statement hinting at tracking of his movement has been misconstrued.

    “I have not made any comment that the state government is keeping a watch on me. My allegations were against the Centre,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the NCP said the allegations of Patole that he was under watch of the intelligence department were based on incomplete information.

    Addressing a press conference, NCP spokesperson and minority affairs minister Nawab Malik said the police have a special department to report movements of important leaders, their meetings, political programmes and agitation.

    This has been the long-standing practice irrespective of which party or alliance is in power.

    Relevant information is collected and a comprehensive report is submitted to the home department and the chief minister, he said.

    “If Patole is unaware of this process, he should consult former CMs of the Congress – Ashok Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan,” Malik said.

    The NCP minister said if Patole doesn’t want police ‘bandobast’ (security arrangement) for himself or leaders of his party, he should make an application and the home minister would take a decision on that.

    Congress leader and minister Balasaheb Thorat said, “I don’t know what he (Patole) meant. He would be in a better position to explain.”

    Shiv Sena leader and minister Eknath Shinde sought to downplay Patole’s remark and said the MVA was working well.

    “The Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance was working fine,” he added.

    Asked by journalists in Nagpur whether the Maharashtra CM or the deputy CM will be speaking to him over his controversial statement, Patole said, “I will feel good talking with them.”

    “There is no dispute between us and if anyone is trying to create dispute through the media, it will be resolved through discussions. I will certainly like to talk to the CM and the Deputy CM,” he said.

    He said the Congress is becoming people’s party in Maharashtra and the BJP is losing ground and hence “wrong news reports” are being circulated against his organization.

    “I want to tell that the MVA government will complete its full 5-year term. The BJP, from the day MVA government came to power, has been saying that this government will fall.”

    “But, the government has completed almost two years and their intentions have not been successful. Hence, wrong news is being circulated,” said Patole.

    Answering a query on the Congress’s future plan, he blasted the BJP, the main opposition party in Maharashtra.

    “The Congress is fighting across the country and in Maharashtra it is protesting over the price rise issue for the last four days. The Congress is getting a huge support from people. The BJP has taken a note of it and hence with the help of the media, it is creating a picture of dispute between MVA allies. There is no dispute between the three parties,” Patole said.

    To a query whether some state Congress leaders are disappointed with him and are complaining to the central leadership, Patole said, “Our leaders are going to Delhi for their respective work.”

    “The Congress is being targeted and a particular person is being targeted, which means that person is becoming important in Maharashtra.  People’s support for the Congress is growing. There is no rift in the Maharashtra Congress and the party is working unitedly,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Fadnavis said in Nagpur that Patole’ s statement indicates that the NCP and the Shiv Sena were uncomfortable with the Congress’s claim of its growing popularity.

    ALSO READ | Won’t react to small people: Pawar on Maharashtra Congress chief’s remarks on nephew Ajit

    “Nana Patole’ s statement indicates that the NCP and the Shiv Sena are afraid of the Congress’s announcement of re-establishing itself on its own and hence they are keeping a watch on him. Now, the CM and the deputy CM should tell why they are so afraid, and why they are keeping a watch on him, ” said Fadnavis.

    Fadnavis was speaking to reporters after visiting the family of a Nagpur resident, Manoj Thawkar, who was allegedly beaten up by police and subsequently died.

    Police have denied the allegation.

    “This incident is very serious, wherein a handicapped youth is beaten up with sticks just because he was not wearing a mask. I have seen the videos of eyewitnesses who claimed he was beaten up in public and again at a police station,” the former CM said.

    “It means this death occurred due to the police beating,” he said and demanded action against the erring police personnel. The BJP on its part will give Rs 2 lakh assistance to the victim’s family,” Fadnavis said.

  • Maharashtra Congress chief says he is ‘under watch’; NCP asserts claim based on incomplete information

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has sought to suggest the state government is keeping an eye over his movement and claimed that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Shiv Sena and the NCP feel the ground was slipping from beneath their feet due to his party’s growing influence.

    Reacting to Patole’s suggestion that he was under watch, the NCP, which handles the home deparment, on Monday said his claim was based on incomplete information, while the Shiv Sena asserted that all was well in the ruling alliance.

    Speaking at a meeting of party workers in Lonavala, a hill station around 125km from Mumbai, during the weekend, Patole said the Congress is resurrecting itself in Maharashtra and this has caused disquiet among the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

    The MPCC did not name the two MVA partners while making a reference about them in his speech.

    The Congress is part of the three-party Shiv Sena-led MVA government.

    He also sought to hint that the government is keeping an eye on his activities.

    “Every morning at 9, intelligence report is submitted to the chief minister and the home minister on what is happening in the state. The Congress is resurrecting itself and the report is making the ground beneath their feet slip away. I am here in Lonavala but the report will go to them,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Patole later told a Marathi news channel that his statement hinting at tracking of his movement has been misconstrued.

    “I have not made any comment that the state government is keeping a watch on me. My allegations were against the Centre. I will make a clarification when I return to Mumbai,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the NCP said the allegations of Patole that he was under watch of the intelligence department were based on incomplete information.

    Addressing a press conference, NCP spokesperson and minority affairs minister Nawab Malik said the police have a special department to report movements of important leaders, their meetings, political programmes and agitation.

    This has been the long-standing practice irrespective of which party or alliance is in power.

    Relevant information is collected and a comprehensive report is submitted to the home department and the chief minister, he said.

    “If Patole is unaware of this process, he should consult former CMs of the Congress – Ashok Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan,” Malik said.

    The NCP minister said if Patole doesn’t want police ‘bandobast’ (security arrangement) for himself or leaders of his party, he should make an application and the home minister would take a decision on that.

    Congress leader and minister Balasaheb Thorat said, “I don’t know what he (Patole) meant. He would be in a better position to explain.”

    Shiv Sena leader and minister Eknath Shinde sought to downplay Patole’s remark and said the MVA was working well.

    “The Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance was working fine,” he added.

  • Won’t react to small people: Pawar on Maharashtra Congress chief’s remarks on nephew Ajit

    By PTI
    PUNE: Days after Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole reportedly asked the party workers to install “our person” as guardian minister of Pune in place of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said he will not react to what “small people” say but will speak if Sonia Gandhi says something.

    Pawar was responding to a query on the remarks made by Patole at the meeting of the Pune district Congress committee held in Lonavala on Friday.

    Sources had said that some local party office-bearers had complained to Patole that Pune district guardian minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar did not help them, and Congress workers were not being appointed to various committees in the district.

    “Who is the district guardian minister of Pune? Someone from Baramati. Whose work is he doing, is he doing our work? Turn these hardships into strength. Do not get mentally weak. Create strength with a resolve that we will install our person on that (guardian minister’s) chair,” Patole told Congress workers.

    When asked to comment on Patole’s remarks on his nephew Ajit Pawar, the NCP chief said, “I do not get into these things. These are small (junior) people. Why should I speak on it. If (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi says something, then I will speak”.

    Pawar also downplayed Patole’s repeated vow that Congress, which is a constituent of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government along with the NCP, will contest future elections solo.

    “Every party has a right to expand its base and there is nothing wrong in it. The Shiv Sena took that stand so did Congress. The NCP has also adopted the same stand (of expanding the base of the party),” he said, adding the three parties are running the government together but their organisations are separate.

    “What is important is that all the three parties have the same thinking while running a coalition government,” Pawar added.

  • Conspiracy to defame me: Ex-Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse on ED probe against him

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned NCP leader Eknath Khadse for nine hours about a case related to a  Pune land deal on Thursday. Khadse reached the ED office after a summons was issued to appear before the agency. Earlier Khadse’s son-in-law Girish Chaudhari was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case in Pune.

    Chaudhari and Khadse’s wife Mandatai had purchased government land in Bhosari near Pune for Rs 3 crore whereas the actual value was Rs 31 crore, the ED said, adding that the land deal was allegedly routed through four shell companies. The agency is probing the sources of the funds used to buy the land and also the undervaluation of the deal. 

    Khadse’s lawyer said that his client told the ED that he has nothing to do with the Pune land. “The land was not purchased by him. Besides, as an erstwhile revenue minister also, it was not his subject so there was no violation done by him as minister. The ED had asked for some documents that will be provided in the next 10 days and as and when ED asks his personal appearance, Khadse will appear before them,” he said.

    Before reaching the ED office, Khadse termed the probe as ‘politically motivated’ saying the central agency was targeting him and his family members deliberately after his induction in the NCP. “A probe was earlier conducted by a commission, which gave a clean chit. Despite this, the ED is probing the case. It shows there is some political agenda behind it. However, the truth will come out.” 

    NCP minister Jayant Patil claimed that the ED inquiry is a farce. “In the earlier probe, nothing wrong was found out. We are confident that Khadse has not done anything wrong. BJP is against the OBC leaders therefore they are targeting Khadse,” the NCP state president alleged.

  • BJP must thank Shiv Sena, NCP for ‘human resource’ to fill Union cabinet berths: Sanjay Raut

    Three out of the four Union ministers from Maharashtra sworn in on Wednesday are not from the BJP background.

  • Conspiracy going on to malign NCP and its leaders, claims Minister Nawab Malik

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The NCP, which is one of the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, on Friday alleged that there was a conspiracy to malign the image of the party and its leaders.

    NCP’s chief spokesperson and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik made the statement a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sealed a sugar mill allegedly linked to state Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

    “The manner in which reports are planted against Ajit Pawar and his family are wrong,” Malik said.

    “The ED has sealed the sugar mill and taking further legal action. Ajit Pawar and his family members are not involved in any illegal activities,” he claimed.

    The ED had said on Thursday that the sugar mill – Jarandeshwar Sahkari Sakhar Karkhana, located at Chimangaon-Koregaon in Satara district- worth over Rs 65 crore has been attached under the anti-money laundering law in connection with the alleged Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam.

    It had also said that a company linked to Ajit Pawar and his wife was involved in the case.

    Earlier, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil had demanded a CBI inquiry against Ajit Pawar and another state minister into the allegations levelled against them by dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze.

    The ED had last week conducted raids at the premises of former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh in connection with the money laundering case against him.

    The agency had also arrested two aides of Deshmukh in that connection.

    Deshmukh, who had resigned from his post in April following the allegations, has denied any wrongdoing.

    The Sharad Pawar-led NCP shares power with the Shiv Sena and the Congress in the MVA government that was formed after the 2019 Assembly polls.

  • Mumbai diary: Mission Mantralaya for BJP, test for Maratha strongman and more

    Express News Service
    Test for Maratha strongman​It takes no saying that Sharad Pawar is the architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. Whenever the government fell in trouble, the NCP supremo successfully handled the situations as a troubleshooter for the Uddhav Thackeray government in the last 19 months. Another front has now opened with central agencies knocking on the door of the leaders. This time, the trouble has landed right at the doorstep of the Pawar family and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. It will be interesting to see how the veteran politician will handle this delicate and turbulent situation.

    Mission Mantralaya for BJP

    BJP is still smarting being in opposition despite being the single largest party in Maharashtra with 105 legislators. What is also known is its desperation to return to power, especially after it burnt itself badly in Bengal elections. The BJP brass is hell-bent to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government by using all means before the Uttar Pradesh polls. Two top BJP leaders are directly dealing and handling the situation — while one is said to be directly dealing with Uddhav Thackeray and another with the NCP leadership. No state leader is involved on this secret plan. But on June 29, a top BJP leader from Maharashtra was briefed about this confidential development in Delhi and asked to be ready for a new political alignment in the state, a party source said.

    Of vaulting ambition and heartburn

    After taking charge of Congress, Nana Patole decided to expand and strengthen the base of the party in every nook and corner of the state. The OBC leader, who has a significant base in rural Maharashtra particularly Vidarbha, declared himself as the Congress face in the state and one of the major contenders for the chief minister if Congress comes to power. But Patole’s ambition has not gone well with senior Congress leaders. They decided not to cooperate with him. Patole, in his recent Delhi tour, briefed the leadership on the reality of the party affair in Maharashtra.

    Don’t upset the apple cart: NCP to Congress

    Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray expressed his displeasure over Congress state chief Nana Patole’s stand of issuing anti-government and contesting elections on its own in pandemic. Congress state observer HK Patil and other senior leaders asked Patole to suspend his north Maharashtra tour and summoned to Delhi as well for warning him not to disturb the Maha Vikas Aghadi  government. A senior NCP leader advised the Congress to enjoy the fruits of being in power and not to behave irresponsibly. Uddhav could use this as an excuse to break away from this three-party alliance and go back to his old ally BJP, he added.