Moved disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar, 8 others: Jayant Patil

Mumbai: Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil on Sunday said his party has moved a disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar and eight others who took oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led state government.

Addressing a press conference late Sunday, Patil said the disqualification petition has been sent to Speaker Rahul Narvekar.

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

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

Patil said these MLAs of the NCP "cannot be called traitors as their betrayal has not yet been proved". "Many are in touch with us", he said.