NCP Shakeup: Umesh Patil Resigns Ahead Of Maharashtra Polls—What’s Next?

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 23: In a major setback for the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), chief spokesperson Umesh Patil has tendered his resignation ahead of the crucial Maharashtra polls.

Meeting with Sharad Pawar

The unexpected development occurred on Tuesday during Patil’s meeting with NCP-SCP Chief Sharad Pawar at the YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai. Following this meeting, Patil formally submitted his resignation to NCP President Sunil Tatkare.

Ongoing Negotiations Among Alliances

As the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners engage in negotiations to resolve seat-sharing disputes, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole expressed optimism. “We are hopeful that this will be the final meeting for seat-sharing,” Patole stated, referring to his discussions with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Upcoming Polls and Candidate Lists

Balasaheb Thorat, another party leader, assured that the candidate list for the assembly polls would be released soon. “We have a time limit, and the list will be finalized shortly,” Thorat added.

BJP Strengthens Position

In a related political shift, former Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Rajkumar Badole joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP on October 22, a move that may influence the electoral landscape.

Polling Dates

Maharashtra assembly elections are set for November 20, with results for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured 105 seats, the Shiv Sena won 56, and the Congress obtained 44.