All 7 NCP MLAs in Nagaland, office-bearers extend support to Ajit Pawar faction

MUMBAI— All the seven MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Nagaland and its office-bearers in the northeastern state have extended their support to the Ajit Pawar faction of the outfit, a spokesperson said on Thursday, in a boost to the rebel camp in Maharashtra.

The Ajit Pawar faction of the outfit, founded by former Union minister Sharad Pawar in 1999, is part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra.

National spokesperson of NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) Brajmohan Srivastava said, “Nagaland unit president Wanthung Odio came to New Delhi and met national working president Praful Patel and Maharashtra unit president Sunil Tatkare.”

“He informed us about the decision of the Nagaland NCP (to support Ajit Pawar camp). Odio handed over affidavits of support of all office-bearers, including seven MLAs,” Srivastava said.

As per an NCP statement, Patel assured Odio he would support him in his efforts to strengthen the 24-year-old party.

Patel instructed the state executive and district units of the NCP in Nagaland to continue working as before, said the statement.

The NCP suffered a split after Ajit Pawar, now deputy CM, and eight other party MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on July 2 as cabinet ministers.

The rebel faction has claimed support of majority of the 53 MLAs in Maharashtra. It needs backing of at least 36 MLAs to avoid attracting provisions of the anti-defection law.