2023 Nationalist Congress Party split
The 2023 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split occurred on 2 July 2023, when Ajit Pawar and several senior party leaders broke away from the NCP—led by his uncle Sharad Pawar—and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra.[1] Ajit Pawar took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and eight other NCP leaders were inducted as ministers.[2] This led to a formal split within the party, resulting in two factions: one led by Sharad Pawar and the other by Ajit Pawar. The split triggered a legal dispute over the party's name and its election symbol.On 6 February 2024, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar‑led faction as the official NCP and allotted it the party’s name and symbol.[3] The faction led by Sharad Pawar was subsequently referred to as the Sharad Pawar faction. On 5 March 2024, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar declared Ajit Pawar’s group the “real” NCP, citing its majority in the legislature.[4] Reasons behind the splitAjit Pawar supported allying with the NCP’s traditional opponent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a move that Sharad Pawar publicly opposed. The NCP is generally described as centrist, secular, and inclusive, emphasizing social justice, federalism, and the welfare of farmers and marginalized communities.[5] By contrast, the BJP is generally described as right‑leaning, emphasizing nationalism, Hindu cultural values, and economic liberalization.[6] Ajit Pawar claimed that Sharad Pawar had previously considered aligning with the BJP and that many NCP leaders also supported an alliance with the ruling party in Maharashtra. This ideological conflict[7][8] prompted Ajit Pawar and his supporters to break away from the party.[9] The split was 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 the primary reason. Supriya Sule, a senior leader in the Sharad Pawar‑led faction, stated that the split stemmed from ideological differences within the party and was unrelated to personal disputes within the Pawar family.[10] Ajit Pawar’s ambition to secure a higher political position also played a role in the split. Despite being a prominent leader within the NCP, he had long aspired to become Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a position he had been unable to attain under alliances with parties such as the Congress and Shiv Sena.[11] Some observers contend that Ajit Pawar believed Sharad Pawar was bringing his daughter to the forefront, limiting his own prospects in the party. By aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar saw an opportunity to expand his political influence and secure a significant role in the state government.[12] Ajit Pawar also stated that Sharad Pawar had sent him to negotiate an alliance with the BJP on multiple occasions, only to withdraw later, placing him in a difficult position. He said that, in private, Sharad Pawar was open to allying with the BJP but publicly opposed it, which he argued created uncertainty within the party. Ajit Pawar took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister with the BJP in November 2019 but resigned soon after Sharad Pawar changed his stance.[13][14] Internal dissent within the NCP was further fueled by differing views on the party’s future direction and alliances. While Sharad Pawar and his allies preferred to maintain the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) arrangement, Ajit Pawar and his supporters argued that a new alignment with the BJP would better serve their political goals and the party’s influence in Maharashtra.[11] Allegations of Central Agency pressureSome political observers and opposition leaders have alleged that investigations by central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against NCP leaders contributed to the party’s 2023 split. They claim that ongoing probes may have influenced some NCP leaders to join the ruling alliance. For example, senior NCP leaders including Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Hasan Mushrif were under ED investigation for various cases when they switched sides.[15] NCP leader Sharad Pawar suggested that some leaders joined the government to avoid investigations.[16] Leaders who switched sides have denied these allegations, stating that their decisions were based on developmental issues rather than investigative pressure.[17]
Timeline
SplitBefore Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, on 5 June 2023, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and announced that the cabinet would be expanded.[7] Praful Patel attended an opposition meeting in Patna with Supriya Sule instead of Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s uncle and the national president of the NCP.[8] On 2 July 2023, Ajit Pawar went to Raj Bhavan in Mumbai and took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister, along with NCP leaders including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Dharamrao Aatram, Aditi Tatkare, and Sanjay Bansode. All seven NCP MLAs from Nagaland supported Ajit Pawar.[citation needed] On 6 February 2024, Ajit Pawar’s faction was officially recognised as the real NCP by the Election Commission, granting his faction the party’s poll symbol and name. The Election Commission directed Sharad Pawar’s camp to adopt a new name for the upcoming 2024 general elections.[9]
MLAs of the NCPLok Sabha MPs of the NCP
Rajya Sabha MPs of the NCP
See alsoReferences
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