NCP gears to win upcoming elections: Sunil Tatkare

Sunil Tatkare, State President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP – Ajit Pawar faction), has dismissed ongoing rumours of a possible reunion between the two NCP factions, making it clear that no such move is underway.

Speaking to the media, Tatkare affirmed, “Under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the party has unanimously decided to remain a committed partner of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).”

Tatkare is currently on a four-day tour to Marathwada and North Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming elections for local self-government bodies. On his visit to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, he addressed a gathering of party office-bearers and activists from both urban and rural areas at Sant Eknath Rangmandir in the morning, followed by an interaction with the media in the afternoon. MLCs Satish Chavan and Vikram Kale, along with Kailas Patil Dongaonkar and other city and district leaders, shared the dais.

Focus on local elections and grassroots leadership

Explaining the purpose of his tour, Tatkare said, “Due to our alliance with the NDA, we did not contest the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalna districts. However, the upcoming elections for local bodies like zilla parishads, municipal corporations, municipal councils, and panchayat samitis are crucial. The prolonged delay in these elections has impacted our second-rung leadership.”

He emphasized that politics must align with ground realities, adding, “Through this tour, I am directly engaging with grassroots leaders to understand their challenges and to inform them about the state government's ongoing welfare schemes. The goal is to reinvigorate the party’s base and build momentum for a strong performance in the upcoming polls.”

Tatkare also assured the party’s commitment to the welfare of minorities and said efforts are underway to forge alliances with various communities. Notably, five former corporators of the municipal corporation joined the NCP during the event, he said.

On recent assembly clash

Responding to the recent clash between an NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA and a BJP MLA in the state assembly, Tatkare condemned the incident, calling it unprecedented in Maharashtra’s legislative history. “Strict action must be taken. A policy is being formulated to prevent such incidents in the future and to uphold the dignity of the House,” he added.

Tatkare, who arrived in the city from Jalgaon, is scheduled to continue his tour with visits to Jalna, Beed, Hingoli, and Dharashiv districts over the next few days.