Sunetra Pawar thwarted Praful Patel’s bid to take control of NCP, claims Rohit Pawar

Mumbai: NCP(SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Wednesday claimed that NCP leader Praful Patel and state president Sunil Tatkare had tried to take control of the party after Ajit Pawar's death, but it was thwarted by Sunetra Pawar.

Rohit said Patel, Tatkare and Brijmohan Srivastava (NCP national secretary) had written to ECI 'falsely' claiming that the party had made changes to its constitution and it was a 'premeditated plan' to vest sweeping powers to Patel who was working president.

"Within 18 days of Ajit Pawar's death (on January 28), Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and Brijmohan Srivastava wrote to ECI (on February 16) claiming falsely that the party constitution had been amended and sought all powers to be handed over to the working president, who was Praful Patel," Rohit alleged. He also released to media persons the letter written by Praful Patel and others to ECI and the subsequent letter by Sunetra Pawar.


Rohit alleged that Patel had kept Sunetra and other Pawar family members in the dark. "Neither Sunetra Pawar nor Parth Pawar (eldest son of Ajit and Sunetra) were taken into confidence. Once she became the party's national president, Sunetra seemed to have become aware of this letter by Patel to ECI. She, in turn, wrote to ECI on March 10, informing ECI that any correspondence between January 2 and the date on which she assumed charge of the party should not be considered."

Rohit referred to Union minister Piyush Goyal's statements after Ajit Pawar's death where he had claimed that Praful Patel had become NCP party president. Goyal later apologised and claimed that his claim was based on "incorrect information".

"It was they (NCP-SP) who wanted to hijack the party. Hence, they brought up the talk of merger between the two parties hours after Ajit Pawar's death. They themselves were in a big hurry to take over the party," Tatkare said.