Will take appropriate action on NCP's plea seeking to disqualify Ajit Pawar, 8 other party MLAs: Maharashtra Speaker

Ajit Pawar. Pic/PTI

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Monday said he will take appropriate action on the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) plea seeking disqualification of Ajit Pawar and other eight party MLAs, who have taken oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led government, reported news agency PTI.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Narwekar said, "I have received the petition filed by Jayant Patil seeking disqualification of the nine NCP MLAs. I will read it carefully. I will study the points mentioned and take appropriate action on the petition."

Asked how many NCP MLAs have supported Ajit Pawar, Narwekar said, "I have no information about it."

The Speaker also said it is his prerogative to decide on the appointment of a new opposition leader in the Assembly.

State NCP president Jayant Patil on Sunday said his party has moved the disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar and eight others.

He said an e-mail has also been sent to the Election Commission of India informing that the rank and file of the NCP is with party chief Sharad Pawar.

The NCP on Sunday appointed Jitendra Awhad as the leader of opposition in the state Assembly after incumbent LoP Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde government as deputy chief minister.

Awhad, who is the MLA from Mumbra-Kalwa in Thane district, said NCP state unit president Jayant Patil had appointed him chief whip of the party and LoP in the Assembly.

The party founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999 suffered a vertical split on Sunday after his nephew Ajit Pawar broke ranks and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government as deputy chief minister.

Sharad Pawar on Sunday said it was not the NCP's decision to align with the BJP-Shiv Sena government and said action would be taken against leaders who violated the party line.

He also took a swipe at the BJP saying this development was not a "googly" but a "robbery".

Sharad Pawar also said he would build new leadership in the party and asserted he gets more energy to work when such situations come up.

Eight other NCP MLAs, including staunch Sharad Pawar loyalists like Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil, were made ministers.

In the wake of nine NCP leaders, including Ajit Pawar, joining the Eknath Shinde government, party chief Sharad Pawar has convened a meeting on July 6 in Mumbai to discuss the developments and the future course of action.

(With inputs from PTI)