Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar dissolves all departments, cells of NCP

NCP chief Sharad Pawar. File Pic

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) national general secretary Praful Patel on Wednesday said that party chief Sharad Pawar has dissolved all departments and cells of the party with immediate effect.

Taking to Twitter, Praful Patel said: "With the approval of our National President Hon'ble Shri Sharad Pawar Saheb, all the National level Departments and Cells of NCP excluding Nationalist Women's Congress, Nationalist Youth Congress and Nationalist Students Congress stand dissolved with immediate effect."

"This decision does not apply to Maharashtra or any other state unit," he added.

The NCP was a key constituent of the Shiv Sena-led coalition government which fell apart in late June following a rebellion by a section of MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray-led saffron outfit.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and its rebel MLAs during the recent Maharashtra political crisis raised constitutional issues including split, the merger of a political party, defection and disqualification which may require consideration by a larger bench.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana, meanwhile, extended the operation of its July 11 order by which it had asked Assembly Speaker not to proceed with a plea seeking disqualification of MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction as sought by CM Eknath Shinde group on the ground of defying the party whip during the trust vote and the election of the speaker.

The bench, also comprising justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli, issued notices on petitions filed by the Uddhav group and asked the other side to file responses and issues by July 27 for consideration by a larger bench and fixed them for hearing on August 1.

(With inputs from PTI)