The rebel NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel set up its office near Mantralaya ( State Secretariat) at Nariman Point in south Mumbai. “Today, we unveiled our new office of NCP in Mumbai, a symbol of our unwavering dedication to Maharashtra and its people. Join us as we embark on a journey of progress, unity, and prosperity for every citizen. Together, let's build a strong and inclusive Maharashtra,” the rebel NCP faction’s working president Praful Patel tweeted.
At the inauguration were Ajit Pawar, state rebel NCP state President Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde and others who were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde-Fadnavis government on Sunday.
Meanwhile, hardening his stand against the party leaders who have joined the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday warned his nephew Ajit Pawar and other rebel party leaders, who rebelled against him on Sunday, against using his photographs for any purpose.
In a development that came after the rebel NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar installed a huge photograph of Sharad Pawar at its newly-inaugurated office at Nariman Point in south Mumbai, Sr Pawar said: “I do not want all those betrayed my ideology to use my photographs for propaganda or any other purpose”.
The directive from Sr Pawar came after Ajit Pawar reportedly all his supporters who had gone to greet the latter to put up photographs of Sharad Pawar on the hoardings being erected to congratulate him on his becoming a deputy chief minister in the Shinde-Fadnavis government.
“These people ( Ajit Pawar and other rebel leaders) have betrayed my ideology. I am against them using my photographs (in their offices and on hoardings).. It's my right to decide who can use my photographs when I am alive. Barring the NCP led by me, nobody else has the authority to use my photo without my clearance,” Sr Pawar said.
Tuesday’s development is akin to the one witnessed during the Eknath Shinde-led rebellion in the Shiv Sena in June last year, when Uddhav Thackeray had asked the rebel Shinde faction not to use the photographs of late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray.