Pune: In a recent media interaction, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar opened up about the split within his party, led by his nephew, Ajit Pawar.

After the internal rebellion, Ajit Pawar, along with several NCP MLAs, joined the Mahayuti (Grand Alliance) and took on the role of Deputy Chief Minister.

Sharad Pawar has since been on a state-wide tour to restore unity within his faction of the NCP, reinvigorating the party’s remaining leaders and office bearers.

Speaking on the rebellion, Sharad Pawar shared that he wasn’t entirely shocked by Ajit Pawar’s decision but admitted feeling unsettled. “When Ajit Pawar left, he didn’t go alone.

He was accompanied by 25-30 legislators, many of whom I had campaigned for and supported during their elections. Over the past decade, I worked closely with them, helping to groom their political careers. Ajit Pawar was part of this collective effort,” said Sharad Pawar.

Sharad Pawar expressed his discomfort at seeing former party members now sitting alongside those they once opposed, and adopting the very policies they had previously criticized. “It is disturbing because the steps they are taking now do not align with the commitments they made to the people,” he said.

Despite the setback, the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the NCP performed strongly in the Lok Sabha elections, winning eight out of ten seats. This resurgence has sparked enthusiasm among many NCP members, with several expressing their desire to contest the upcoming Assembly elections under the party’s ‘Tutari’ symbol.

Sharad Pawar, undeterred by the rebellion, is now focused on making an impact in the upcoming state elections, with a determination to reshape the political landscape of Maharashtra.

This internal party conflict has drawn considerable attention, with the political future of both factions of the NCP hanging in the balance as Maharashtra approaches its next election cycle.