Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is now Shiv Sena’s ruling ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, is celebrating its 22nd anniversary today.
NCP president Sharad Pawar formed the party in 1999. The party has been in power in Maharashtra along with the Congress, except between 2014 and 2019.
But amid COVID-19 crisis, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and state minister Jayant Patil had urged NCP workers not to organise public events on the party's foundation day. Instead, NCP workers were urged to organise blood donation camps while following the social distancing norms.
Here are 5 points on how it was formed:
· The NCP was launched on June 10, 1999. The NCP was formed after Sharad Pawar, P. A. Sangma, and Tariq Anwar parted ways with the Congress party on May 20, 1999.
· Despite the NCP being founded as opposition to the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, the party joined the Congress-led UPA to form government in Maharashtra in October 1999.
· In 2004, the party joined the UPA to form the Central government led by Dr Manmohan Singh.
· The party remained part of the Congress-led Maharashtra state government until 2014.
· NCP says it has been working with firm belief in equality, brotherhood, secularism, national integrity, democracy and inclusive growth.
