NCP faces internal leadership crisis and administrative disputes

The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is facing significant internal strife, characterized by power struggles and administrative disputes following the sudden death of Ajit Pawar. The crisis has intensified following reports of a meeting between political strategist Prashant Kishor and party leaders Sunetra Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister and party president, and MP Parth Pawar.

Internal tensions are evident in the growing influence of Parth Pawar over party administration, which has clashed with the roles of senior leaders like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare. Discrepancies in official party lists submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI) have further complicated matters, as senior leaders' operational designations were reportedly omitted or unclear. While Sunetra Pawar has described these issues as administrative errors, senior party members claim no formal corrections have been made.

The Election Commission has issued a notice to the NCP regarding its recent organizational changes following a formal complaint. This political instability was also highlighted during a recent trip to Delhi, where senior leaders Patel and Tatkare notably did not join Sunetra Pawar’s itinerary.