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The rift within the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra widened further this week after Shiv Sena minister Tanaji Sawant revealed that he “felt like vomiting” after sitting with fellow NCP MLAs. The remarks drew sharp reactions from NCP members who insisted it was better to quit the alliance than listen to such statements.
Sawant said, “I am a staunch Shiv Sainik who has never been with the Congress and NCP all my life. Even though we sit next to each other in the cabinet, I feel like vomiting after coming out.”
The rift within the Mahayuti group has intensified in recent months after its poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance managed to win only 17 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the Shiv Sena (Uttar Pradesh), NCP (SP) and Congress, performed better by winning 30 seats.
NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil said, “My request to our party senior leaders is that we should leave the Mahayuti instead of listening to such statements. Either Tanaji Sawant should be expelled or we should leave the alliance.”
Fellow party leader and MLC Amol Mitkar insisted that the NCP had maintained silence “only to follow coalition dharma”. Members of the rival NCP(SP) also echoed the remarks and said it was time for the BJP to expel the Ajit Pawar-led party from the mahayuti.
NCP(SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “It is time that the BJP will slowly but steadily kick Ajit Pawar out of the Mahayuti. All is not well and the cracks are growing day by day. It is time for Ajit Pawar to wake up and understand the situation.”
The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, split in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar and his supporting MLAs joined the Mahayuti. The Election Commission had later allotted the party name and election symbol to the faction led by Ajit Pawar.
(with inputs from agencies)
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