NCP Split in Numbers: Ajit Pawar Has Support of 30+ MLAs, Needs 36 to Avoid Disqualification

Even as NCP leader Praful Patel claims the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) hasn’t technically split, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar seems to be ahead in the number game with more MLAs supporting him than his uncle Sharad Pawar.

The factional fight reached the doorstep of the Election Commission on July 5 with the group led by Ajit Pawar filing over 40 affidavits of MLAs and MPs in his support. The Sharad Pawar camp, meanwhile, filed a caveat with the poll authority urging it to hear them first before passing any directive in connection with the factional fight.

The Election Commission is likely to process applications in the coming days and ask both the sides to exchange the respective documents submitted before it.

At least 30 of 53 NCP MLAs and five of eight party MLCs were reportedly present at a party meeting convened by Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on July 5. According to former principal secretary of Maharashtra Legislature Anant Kalse, Ajit Pawar camp needs the support of at least 36 MLAs to avoid disqualification.

Here is a list of NCP MLAs confirmed to be backing Ajit Pawar:

1. Chhagan Bhujbal
2. Hasan Mushrif
3. Narhari Jhirwal
4. Dilip Mohite
5. Anil Patil
6. Manikrao Kokate
7. Dilip Walse Patil
8. Aditi Tatkare
9. Rajesh Patil
10. Dhananjay Munde
11. Dharmarao Atram Aheri
12. Anna Bansode
13. Nilesh Lanke
14. Indranil Naik
15. Sunil Shelke
16. Dattatraya Bharane
17. Sanjay Bansod
18. Sangram Jagtap
19. Dilip Bankar
20. Sunil Tingre
21. Sunil Shelke
22. Balasaheb Ajabe
23. Dipak Chavan
24. Yashwant Mane
25. Nitin Pawar
26. Shekhar Nikam
27. Sanjay Shinde
28. Raju Karemore
29. Saroj Ahire
30. Atul Benke

NCP MLAs said to be backing Sharad Pawar include:

1. Kiran Lahamate
2. Ashok Pawar
3. Rohit Pawar
4. Rajendra Shingane
5. Anil Deshmukh
6. Jitendra Awhad
7. Prajakta Tanpure
8. Jayant Patil
9. Sandeep Kshirsagar
10. Balasaheb Patil
11. Chetan Tupe
12. Suman Patil
13. Rajesh Tope
14. Sunil Bhusara
15. Makrand Patil
16. Daulat Daroda
17. Raju Nawghare
18. Mansingh Naik
19. Devendra Bhuyar (independent)

Among the MLCs, Amol Mitkari, Ramraje Nimbalkar, Aniket Tatkare and Vikram Kale are in the Ajit Pawar camp, while Shashikant Shinde, Babajani Durani and Eknath Khadse are firmly with Sharad Pawar.

Among NCP MPs, Shrinivas Patil, Supriya Sule, Amol Kolhe and Faujia Khan are with the Sharad Pawar faction.

The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, witnessed a split on July 2 with Ajit Pawar, claiming support of over 40 MLAs and joining the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government in Maharashtra. Nine NCP MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, were sworn-in as ministers in the Maharashtra government at a surprise cabinet expansion on Sunday.

Ajit Pawar, with senior party leaders Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil by his side, has claimed to be the real NCP. Sharad Pawar also claimed to be the real NCP, and expelled Patel and Lok Sabha member Sunil Tatkare from the party. He had also written to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking to disqualify the nine MLAs who were sworn-in as ministers on Sunday.