7 NCP MLAs from Nagaland declare support to Ajit Pawar | India News

NEW DELHI: In another setback for Sharad Pawar, all 7 NCP MLAs of Nagaland declared support to Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar‘s faction.
“All the seven NCP MLAs in Nagaland have sent a letter of support to Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister Maharashtra,” Vanthungo Odyuo, president of the Nagaland unit of the Nationalist Congress Party said.
On July 16, Ajit Pawar and Patel, accompanied by all the other NCP cabinet members, paid a surprise visit to the NCP founder, strongly argued their case, tendered an apology and sought his blessings for a united NCP, but the NCP patriarch was non-committal and did not utter a word.
Again, on July 17, all the Ajit group legislators made a fresh submission before Pawar Senior, with the latter again not saying anything. However, later that same day, Sharad Pawar made it clear it would not be possible for him to align with “divisive political parties like the BJP.”
Some reports had suggested that while Ajit Pawar has joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government, BJP may be keen to lure more NCP legislators as there is uncertainty over the membership of the CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena legislators, who are facing disqualification proceedings.
While the Ajit group claims the support of 33 MLAs, the Sharad Pawar camp says it has the backing of 20 MLAs. Ajit Pawar had also written to the Election Commission staking claim to the NCP name and ‘alarm clock’ symbol.