With senior leader of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar-led group joining Shinde-Fadnavis Government in Maharashtra, party’s Nagpur city unit has decided to follow former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Deshmukh has not joined Ajit Pawar group. But the State office-bearers of the party in city are likely to go with Ajit Pawar. The discussion about Ajit Pawar joining present Shinde-Fadnavis Government was going on since the last two months. But he kept saying that he would not join the Government. His reservations during various NCP meetings, programmes organised by the party were visible. During his Nagpur visit, Ajit Pawar, in a private talk, had said that he would join Government when the discussions about it would stop. Despite his refusal publicly to join the Government, his body language was giving different indications. But Sunday’s development shocked everyone in the party and outside it. After the development that was watched by everybody, the district units in State are giving cautious reactions. In Nagpur too, nobody is speaking openly on the issue. At present, it seems, the opinion of Anil Deshmukh remains predominant. He did not contact any party leader in city but immediately reached Mumbai. Anil Deshmukh was with former Finance Minister Jayant Patil when the latter addressed mediapersons. It indicated that Deshmukh was with NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar.

 

Meanwhile Duneshwar Pethe, President of City Unit has convened a meeting of the party office-bearers on Tuesday, July 4 at 11 am at Ganeshpeth office to chalk out future plans. Pethe said, “The decision was an unexpected move but we will keep doing efforts to strengthen the party in this part of the State.” Shekhar Sawarbandhe, a seasoned politician, made it clear that the party in Nagpur is following the moves of Anil Deshmukh. Contact with Anil Deshmukh and Abha Pandey could not be made. Pravin Kute, State Spokeperson. gave clear indication through his tweet that he would follow Jayant Patil, the State NCP President. State Office-bearers in city like Abha Pandey, Anil Ahirkar, Shrikant Shivankar, Dinanath Padole may join Ajjit Pawar, but nobody confirmed it. Santosh Singh, the city Spokesperson commented, “The party office-bearers did not get any message from Anil Deshmukh yet. Role of Anil Deshmukh will make all the difference.”