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2023 Nationalist Congress Party split
Ajit Pawar - Sharad Pawar : Indian political incident From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2023 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split occurred on 2 July 2023, when Ajit Pawar and several senior party leaders broke away from the NCP–led by his uncle Sharad Pawar–and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra.[1] Ajit Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, along with eight other NCP leaders who were inducted as ministers.[2] This led to a formal split within the party, resulting in the emergence of two factions: one led by Sharad Pawar and the other by Ajit Pawar.
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The split triggered a legal dispute over the party's name and election symbol. On 6 February 2024, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the official NCP and allotted it the party's name and symbol.[3] The faction led by Sharad Pawar was subsequently referred to as the Shawad Pawar faction.
On 5 March 2024, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar declared Ajit Pawar's group as the "real" NCP, citing its majority in the legislature.[4]
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Reasons behind the split
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Ajit Pawar supported allying with the NCP's traditional opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a move Sharad Pawar publicly opposed. The NCP and BJP hold fundamentally different ideologies. The NCP advocates a centrist, secular, and inclusive political approach, emphasizing social justice, federalism, and the welfare of farmers and marginalized sections of society.[5] Conversely, the BJP adheres to a right-wing ideology that emphasizes nationalism, Hindu cultural values, and economic liberalization.[6] Ajit Pawar claimed Sharad Pawar had previously considered aligning with the BJP and that most NCP leaders also supported an alliance with the ruling party in Maharashtra. This ideological conflict[7][8] prompted Ajit Pawar and his supporters to break away from the party.[9]
The split was fueled by ideological divisions, political ambitions, and strategic disagreements. Ajit Pawar, who led the breakaway faction, cited the need for a different political alliance as the primary reason. Supriya Sule, a senior leader in the Sharad Pawar-led faction, stated that the split stemmed from ideological differences within the party and was unrelated to personal disputes within the Pawar family.[10]
Ajit Pawar's ambition to secure a higher political position also played a crucial role in the split. Despite being a prominent leader within the NCP, he had long aspired to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a position he had been unable to attain due to the NCP's alliances with parties such as the Congress and Shiv Sena.[11] By aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar saw an opportunity to enhance his political influence and secure a significant role in the state government.[12]
Ajit Pawar also stated that Sharad Pawar had sent him to negotiate an alliance with the BJP on multiple occasions, only to later withdraw, placing him in a difficult position. Ajit Pawar felt that this inconsistency was detrimental to his political career and the party's stability. He added that, in private, Sharad Pawar was open to allying with the BJP but publicly opposed it, causing further confusion and instability within the party. Ajit Pawar took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister with the BJP in November 2019 but resigned soon after Sharad Pawar changed his stance.[13][14]
Internal dissent within the NCP was further fueled by differing views on the party's future direction and alliances. While Sharad Pawar and his loyalists preferred to maintain the existing alliances within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Ajit Pawar and his supporters believed that a new political alignment with the BJP would be more beneficial for their political careers and the party's influence in Maharashtra.[11]
Allegations of Central Agency pressure
Some political observers and opposition leaders have alleged that investigations by central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against NCP leaders contributed to the party's split in 2023. They claim that the possibility of ongoing probes may have influenced some NCP leaders to join the ruling alliance. For example, senior NCP leaders such as Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Hasan Mushrif were under ED investigation for various cases when they switched sides.[15] NCP leader Sharad Pawar suggested that some leaders joined the government to avoid investigations.[16] However, the leaders who switched sides have denied these allegations, asserting that their decision was based on developmental issues and not influenced by any investigations.[17]
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Timeline
- 3 April 2023: Two meetings took place:
- Sharad Pawar convened a meeting with senior NCP leaders to discuss election strategies.
- Ajit Pawar held a separate meeting with other leaders, discussing concerns about pressure from central agencies and the party's future leadership.[18]
- Mid-May 2023: Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel began discussions with the BJP's high command, facilitated by Devendra Fadnavis.[18]
- 30 June 2023: A final meeting of NCP leaders who would defect finalized the plan to join the Shinde-Fadnavis government.[18]
- 2 July 2023: Ajit Pawar, along with eight other NCP leaders, was sworn in as minister in the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, marking the official split in the party.[19]
- 6 February 2024: The Election Commission awarded the party name and symbol to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar.[20][21]
- 15 February 2024: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar declared the Ajit Pawar faction as the "real" NCP, citing its legislative majority.[22][12]
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Split
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Before Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, on 5 June 2023, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and announced that the cabinet would be expanded.[23] Praful Patel attended an opposition meeting in Patna with Supriya Sule instead of Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar's uncle and National President of the NCP.[24]
On 2 July 2023, Ajit Pawar went to Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. He took the oath to become Deputy Chief Minister, along with NCP leaders including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Dharamrao Aatram, Aditi Tatkare, and Sanjay Bansode. All seven NCP MLA from Nagaland supported Ajit Pawar.[citation needed]
On 6 February 2024, Ajit Pawar's faction was officially recognized as the real NCP by the Election Commission, granting his faction the party's poll symbol and name. The Election Commission directed Sharad Pawar's camp to adopt a new name for the upcoming 2024 general elections.[25]
MLAs of the NCP
Lok Sabha MPs of the NCP
Rajya Sabha MPs of the NCP
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See also
References
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