Maha: NCP core committee discusses political situation post BJP debacle in Karnataka

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday discussed the overall political situation post the BJP debacle in Karnataka elections at a core committee meeting chaired by party president Sharad Pawar here.

The organisational matters of NCP were also discussed, party chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said.

''The core committee of the NCP met under the chairmanship of Sharad Pawar in Mumbai. Affairs of the party organisation were extensively discussed and deliberated to prepare the NCP cadre for local and general elections.

''The political situation prevailing in Maharashtra and the country after the Karnataka elections was discussed. Organisational matters of NCP were also part of the deliberations,'' he told reporters.

Tapase said internal organisational elections of NCP will be declared soon by senior leaders Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar and Dilip Walse Patil who have been appointed as returning officers for Maharashtra and Mumbai regions, respectively.

This was the first meeting of NCP leaders after the Karnataka verdict and assumes significance given that ''Karnataka-like anti-incumbency prevails against the Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra'', he said.

The NCP core committee has also taken strong objection to the revocation of suspension of retired IPS officer Param Bir Singh, he said.

''Param Bir Singh had levelled baseless allegations against NCP leader and then Home minister Anil Deshmukh to malign the image of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Now his suspension is being revoked and the period of suspension will be considered as being in service,'' Tapase said.

The Shinde-Fadnavis government recently dropped the charges against Singh, a former Mumbai police commissioner, following a ruling by the Central Administrative Tribunal.

''Is BJP expressing gratitude to Singh for having falsely framed Anil Deshmukh in a charge which is hearsay as per Singh's admission? NCP will take such issues to the masses and will expose the BJP which pulled the strings to bring down the MVA (in 2022),'' Tapase said.

He said the schedule for NCP organisational elections in various districts of Maharashtra and Mumbai would be announced soon.

Former NCP ministers have been made in-charges of districts to oversee organisational affairs within the respective Lok Sabha and legislative assembly constituencies, he said.

''These leaders will extensively tour various assembly constituencies and bring in proper coordination amongst local leaders and party-affiliated frontal organisations. The party will appoint booth-level workers in every constituency within the next two months,'' Tapase added.

State NCP president Jayant Patil said the 24th Foundation Day function of the party will be held in Ahmednagar on June 10.

''The ground in Maharashtra is very good for Maha Vikas Aghadi after Eknath Shinde split Shiv Sena to join hands with BJP. We and the people of the state are waiting for elections to be declared,'' he said.

The experience of the 2019 Assembly polls- in which NCP had won 54 seats- tells us that booth committees in Assembly constituencies have helped the party perform better, Patil said.

''This time we will work to get booth committees set up at the earliest in all segments,'' he added.