NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Jayant Patil has resigned from his position as the Maharashtra state president. The resignation comes as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, along with local body elections across Maharashtra, are imminent. Patil served as the party’s state president for seven years.
Patil had stated that he had personally requested the party leadership to relieve him of his duties and pave the way for new leadership. It is believed that Shashikant Shinde is likely to be appointed as the new state president, with a final decision expected at the NCP (Sharad Pawar) executive meeting on Tuesday.
The BMC elections are expected to see a tough contest, with a direct fight between the BJP, the Shinde Sena, and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, against the Congress, the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar). The BMC elections are highly prestigious, promising intense competition. However, it remains unclear with whom Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray will align for the elections.
In June 2023, a significant split occurred within the NCP. Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, along with 40 MLAs, parted ways with the party. Speculation was rife in Maharashtra politics last month about the possibility of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar reuniting on a single platform.
These speculations gained momentum following the three to four meetings between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar in recent months. Furthermore, the political landscape is witnessing the emergence of new equations after former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray shared a platform in recent times.