Ajit Pawar is our leader, NCP has not split: Sharad Pawar

More than a month after Ajit Pawar's departure from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to join the BJP, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has asserted that there is no discord within the party, and Ajit Pawar continues to be their leader. Sharad Pawar stated in an interview with a news agency, "Ajit is our leader; there is no division within the NCP. How does a party split? It occurs when a significant faction at the national level separates from the party. However, there is no such situation within the NCP presently. Yes, some leaders took a different stance, but this cannot be categorized as a split. In a democracy, they have the liberty to do so."

Previously, the NCP leader had mentioned that some party members who had switched sides to join the Shiv Sena (under Eknath Shinde) - BJP government along with Ajit Pawar's faction were under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Pawar explained, "Recently, a few of our members joined the government, claiming that they aligned with the BJP for developmental reasons. Some of them were under ED scrutiny, while others wished to avoid investigation."

Earlier, Sharad Pawar's daughter, Supriya Sule, also stated that there was no division within the party, attributing the defection of some NCP MLAs to the BJP's influence. She noted, "The party has not split at all; some took a different stance by aligning with the BJP. We have lodged a complaint with the Assembly Speaker to take appropriate action against them."

Sharad Pawar's statements and his "confidential" meetings with Ajit have prompted questions from the NCP's allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Shiv Sena and Congress. Both MVA members had urged Pawar to clarify the confusion caused by these meetings between the uncle and nephew.

However, Sharad Pawar has denied any divisions within the MVA, stating, "There is no confusion among MVA partners. We are united and committed to ensuring the successful organization of the meeting in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1."