Mumbai (Maharashtra): The Maharashtra Congress on Thursday called for a meeting of its core committee in Mumbai after senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar orchestrated a coup and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena BJP government in the state.
According to sources, the meeting, to begin around noon, will be chaired by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole. Sources also said that Congress leaders will discuss the issue of the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the state Assembly. They will also discuss the current political situation in Maharashtra.
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Congress is part of the Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) in Maharashtra, which comprises NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Earlier on Tuesday, July 4, Congress leaders called on NCP supremo Sharad Pawar at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai after Ajit Pawar led a rebellion in the party. The Congress leaders, including Nana Patole and Naseem Khan, had expressed solidarity with Pawar senior amid the crisis in his party.
Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat had earlier said the MVA would emerge stronger in view of the current crisis as people were with them. According to Thorat, the Congress was united and they took guidance from Sharad Pawar.
In a major political development in Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) on Sunday last after he joined hands with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and the BJP. Ajit Pawar has claimed the support of maximum NCP MLAs. NCP currently has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. The Congress has 45 MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly. The NCP had appointed Jitendra Awhad as the Leader of Opposition (LOP) after Ajit Pawar's rebellion.
Meanwhile, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Clyde Crasto said, "Congress has all the right to discuss the LoP. We have also made it very clear, our party president Sharad Pawar had also made it very clear that whoever has the majority has the right to claim or has the prerogative to choose the leader. So, if the Congress is even thinking of that, there is nothing wrong in it."
Also read:Shinde meets Sena lawmakers, assuages their concerns over Ajit camp joining Maha govt
