NCP sounds poll bugle: New appointments, party elections to be conducted soon

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) core committee met under the chairmanship of party supremo Sharad Pawar on Wednesday to deliberate and discuss the party organisation structure as well as ensuing elections. It was decided that a detailed programme for the party internal elections would be announced soon.

“This was the first meeting of the party core committee after the Karnataka assembly election. Hence the prevailing political situation was the focus of the discussions. All the leaders said that Karnataka-like anti incumbency prevailed against the Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra,” said Party spokesperson Mahesh Tapase, adding it was decided that the party machinary would be overhauled soon.

Returning officer to soon announce the schedule

Senior party leaders Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar and Dilip Walse-Patil have been appointed as returning officers for the state of Maharashtra and Mumbai region respectively, who will soon announce the schedule for party organisational elections in various districts of Maharashtra and Mumbai. Booth level workers too, will be appointed in every constituency within the next two months, Tapase said stressing that the party machinary is gearing up for the local body elections in the state as well as the general elections due next year.

Tapase added that former NCP ministers have been made in-charge of districts to oversee organisational affairs of the party within the respective Lok Sabha and legislative assembly constituencies who will extensively tour assembly constituencies to ensure proper coordination between local party leaders and affiliated frontal organisations.

NCP's 24th year of inception

NCP state party chief Jayant Patil said the party will be entering 24th year of its inception and has planned a mega event at Ahmednagar to celebrate its foundation day.

“The atmosphere in Maharashtra is conducive for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) after Eknath Shinde split Shiv Sena to join hands with BJP. We and the people of the state are waiting for elections to be declared,” he said.

The experience of the 2019 Assembly polls- in which NCP had won 54 seats- tells us that booth committees in assembly constituencies have helped the party perform better, Patil said.

“This time we will work to get booth committees set up at the earliest in all segments,” he added.