Ajit Pawar Group appoints Sunil Tatkare as new Maharashtra NCP chief

On one hand party's national president Sharad Pawar started taking action against Ajit Pawar and his associates, while on the other hand, his nephew Ajit Pawar removed the old timers from the post.

It started when Pawar Senior expelled MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from the party but some time later, the Ajit Pawar faction removed Jayant Patil from the post of NCP state president and appointed Sunil Tatkare in his place.

After Sharad Pawar's action, Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel called a presser this evening and announced that Sunil Tatkare would be the new state president of the party.

He will take over this responsibility in place of Jayant Patil, they said and informed that Patil has been informed about his removal from the post.

The Speaker of the Assembly has also been informed about this latest development, said Patel.

Patel also announced that Anil Bhaidas Patil would continue as the Chief Whip of NCP in the Maharashtra Assembly.

Earlier in the day, Sharad Pawar warned rebel MLAs that the party would show them their places.

"The NCP would show these MLAs their places. Maharashtrians would answer those who split the NCP," said Pawar, addressing a gathering at the Priti-Sangam memorial of Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwant Rao Chavan at Karad of Satara district.

He said the late Yashwant Rao Chavan had created a new generation of politicians in the state by backing the youths in every district of the state and ensuring development.

Pawar's comments came a day after nine NCP legislators led by his nephew and senior leader Ajit Pawar engineered a split in the party and joined the NDA ministry of chief minister Eknath Shinde.

Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister in the presence of several senior party leaders including Sharad Pawar's longtime confidant Praful Patel.

Jayant Patil late on Sunday night said that a disqualification petition was filed with the assembly speaker by mail against 9 MLAs, including Ajit Pawar after they acted against the party interest and joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government.

[With UNI inputs]