Mumbai, March 25 – In a fierce verbal attack, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Maharashtra state president and MP Sunil Tatkare accused political rivals of attempting to interfere in party affairs, calling them "opportunistic scavengers" driven by a sinister desire to seize control.
Tatkare was responding to a statement made by NCP legislator Rohit Pawar, who accused Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel of attempting to take control of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) following the sudden death of Ajit Pawar.
He further claimed that a group of leaders had written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) claiming changes to the party constitution to vest sweeping powers in a "working president," and that Sunetra Pawar subsequently wrote to the poll body asking it to disregard any such correspondence during the transition period after Ajit Pawar’s death.
However, Tatkare strongly defended the appointment of Sunetra Pawar as the party president, noting that the "desire for power" from outsiders began the moment she took charge.
He dismissed claims that the party or its symbol were "stolen" when they joined the NDA, calling such statements "dirty and baseless."
Tatkare alleged that certain individuals were so eager to sideline the Pawar family and take over the party that they began discussing mergers on the very day of Ajit Dada’s passing. "These individuals are suffering from a 'jaundice of hatred' toward Dada’s family," Tatkare remarked. "Now, they suddenly pretend to be worried about our party’s internal affairs."
Tatkare also pointed out inconsistencies within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), specifically questioning why certain leaders boycotted a dinner hosted by Sharad Pawar. "When only three out of ten MLAs attend your own event, you should look inward. Why is there a sudden obsession with Sunetra Vahini, Parth, or Jay Pawar? It's clear that when people fear for their own political survival, they resort to such publicity stunts," he remarked.
He didn't hold back, reminding the public of past internal friction where the same "gentlemen" had demanded the expulsion of veteran leaders like Jayant Patil during the Shirdi convention.
Tatkare concluded by reaffirming that the entire leadership—including himself and Praful Patel—stands united under Sunetra Pawar's leadership. He warned that the public would ultimately thwart the "conspiracies" being hatched to destabilize the party.