| 2023 Nationalist Congress Party split | |
| Partof: | Politics of Maharashtra |
| Date: | - |
| Location: | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Outcome: |
Numbers by Factions: |
| Blank1 Label: | Followed by |
| Blank1 Data: | 2022 Shiv Sena split |
The 2023 Nationalist Congress Party split occurred on 2 July 2023, when Ajit Pawar, along with several other party leaders, broke away from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena alliance government in Maharashtra.[1] Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, along with eight other NCP leaders who took oath as ministers.[2] This led to a vertical split in the party, with two factions emerging: one led by Sharad Pawar and the other by Ajit Pawar. The split resulted in a legal battle over the party's name and symbol. On 6 February 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) awarded the party name and symbol to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar. The faction led by Sharad Pawar was subsequently recognized as Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).[3] On 5 March 2024, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar declared the Ajit Pawar faction as the "real" NCP, citing its legislative majority.[4]
Ajit Pawar was in favor of forming an alliance with the traditionally opposite party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, Sharad Pawar publicly opposed this idea. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and BJP have different ideologies. The NCP allegedly follows a centrist, secular, and inclusive political approach, focusing on social justice, federalism, and the welfare of farmers and weaker sections of society.[5] On the other hand, the BJP adheres to a right-wing ideology that emphasizes nationalism, Hindu cultural values, and economic liberalization.[6] Ajit Pawar mentioned that Sharad Pawar had been ready to align with the BJP multiple times in the past, and a majority of NCP leaders also wished to form an alliance with the BJP, which is the ruling party in the state of Maharashtra. This ideological shift caused significant internal conflict within the NCP, as many members were reluctant to compromise their core values for political gain.[7] [8]
Sharad Pawar is the supreme leader and his word is final in the NCP, but Ajit had a different vision for the party, which Sharad Pawar kept objecting to. This prompted Ajit Pawar to form a rebellion with others and split the party.[9]
The split was also driven by ideological differences, political ambitions, and strategic disagreements. Ajit Pawar, who led the breakaway faction, cited the need for a different political alliance as a primary reason for the split. Supriya Sule, a senior leader in the Sharad Pawar-led faction, emphasized that the split was due to ideological differences within the party and had nothing to do with personal disputes within the Pawar family.[3]
Ajit Pawar's ambitions to secure a higher political position also played a crucial role in the split. Despite being a prominent leader within the NCP, Ajit Pawar had long harbored aspirations to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a position he had been unable to attain due to the NCP's alliances with other parties like the Congress and Shiv Sena.[10] By aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar saw an opportunity to enhance his political influence and secure a significant role in the state government.[11]
Ajit Pawar also mentioned that Sharad Pawar had sent him to form an alliance with the BJP on multiple occasions, only to back off later, which put him in a difficult position. Ajit Pawar felt that this inconsistent approach was detrimental to his political career and the party's stability. He also stated that, in private, Sharad Pawar was open to forming an alliance with the BJP, but publicly opposed it, causing further confusion and instability within the party. Ajit Pawar even took oath as Deputy Chief Minister with the BJP in November 2019, but had to resign quickly as Sharad Pawar changed his stance.[12] [13]
The internal dissent within the NCP was further fueled by differing views on the party's future direction and alliances. While Sharad Pawar and his loyalists preferred to maintain the existing alliances within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Ajit Pawar and his supporters believed that a new political alignment with the BJP would be more beneficial for their political careers and the party's influence in Maharashtra.
Some political observers and opposition leaders have alleged that investigations by central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against NCP leaders played a role in the party's split in 2023. They claim that the prospect of ongoing probes may have influenced certain NCP leaders to join the ruling alliance. For instance, senior NCP leaders such as Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Hasan Mushrif were under ED investigation for various cases when they switched sides.[14] NCP supremo Sharad Pawar himself suggested that some leaders joined the government to avoid facing investigations.[15] However, the leaders who switched sides have denied these allegations, stating that their decision was based on developmental issues and not influenced by any investigations.[16]
Before Ajit Pawar took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister, on 5 June 2023, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and said that cabinet would be expanded further.[22] Praful Patel even went to Patna for the opposition meeting with Supriya Sule instead of Ajit Pawar's uncle and National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar.[23]
On 2 July 2023, suddenly Ajit Pawar went to Raj Bhavan in Mumbai and took oath as Deputy Chief Minister, along with NCP leaders like Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Aatram Dharamraobaba Bhagwantrao, Aditi Sunil Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode. All the seven NCP MLAs of Nagaland are with Ajit Pawar.
On 6 February 2024, Ajit Pawar's faction has been officially recognized as the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by the Election Commission of India. The EC has granted his faction the party's poll symbol and name, giving them the status of the official NCP. The Election Commission has directed Sharad Pawar's camp to take a new name for the upcoming 2024 general elections.[24]
| Lok Sabha MP | MLC | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharad Pawar | 15 | 4 | 3 | |
| Ajit Pawar | 40 | 1 | 9 | |
| Total number of members of NCP before split | 55 | 5 | 11 |
| Sr No. | Ajit Pawar | Sr No. | Sharad Pawar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aditi Tatkare | 1 | Ashok Pawar |
| 2 | Dharamrao Aatram | 2 | Anil Deshmukh |
| 3 | Ajit Pawar | 3 | Balasaheb Patil |
| 4 | Anil Patil | 4 | Nilesh Lanke |
| 5 | Anna Bansode | 5 | Chandrakant Nawghare |
| 6 | Ashutosh Kale | 6 | Jayant Patil |
| 7 | Atul Benke | 7 | Jitendra Awhad |
| 8 | Babasaheb Patil | 8 | Mansingh Naik |
| 9 | Babanrao Shinde | 9 | Dr Rajendra Shingne |
| 10 | Balasaheb Ajabe | 10 | Prajakt Tanpure |
| 11 | Chhagan Bhujbal | 11 | Rajesh Tope |
| 12 | Dattatraya Bharane | 12 | Rohit Pawar |
| 13 | Daulat Daroda | 13 | Sandeep Kshirsagar |
| 14 | Dhananjay Munde | 14 | Suman Patil |
| 15 | Dilip Bankar | 15 | Sunil Bhusara |
| 16 | Dilip Mohite | ||
| 17 | Dilip Walse-Patil | ||
| 18 | Dipak Chavan | ||
| 19 | Hasan Mushrif | ||
| 20 | Indranil Naik | ||
| 21 | Kiran Lahamate | ||
| 22 | Makrand Patil | ||
| 23 | Manikrao Kokate | ||
| 24 | Manohar Chandrikapure | ||
| 25 | Narhari Sitaram Zirwal | ||
| 26 | Chetan Tupe | ||
| 27 | Nitin Pawar | ||
| 28 | Prakashdada Solanke | ||
| 29 | Nawab Malik | ||
| 30 | Rajesh Patil | ||
| 31 | Raju Karemore | ||
| 32 | Sanjay Bansode | ||
| 33 | Saroj Ahire | ||
| 34 | Sangram Jagtap | ||
| 35 | Shekhar Nikam | ||
| 36 | Sunil Tingre | ||
| 37 | Sunil Shelke | ||
| 38 | Yashwant Mane | ||
| 39 | Rupali Chakankar | ||
| 40 | Suraj chavan | ||
| 41 | Amol Mitkari | ||
| 42 | Aniket Tatkare | ||
| 43 | Ananda Paranjape |
| Sr No. | Ajit Pawar | Sr No. | Sharad Pawar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunil Dattatray Tatkare | 1 | Supriya Sule |
| 2 | Amol Kolhe | ||
| 3 | Shriniwas Patil | ||
| 4 | Mohammed Faizal Padippura | ||