Ajit Pawar Cracks the Whip After Latur Clash; NCP Removes Youth Wing Leader, Calls for Accountability

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faced a political storm on Monday following an ugly clash between NCP workers and members of the Chhava organisation in Latur. Deputy Chief Minister and NCP National President Ajit Pawar called the incident “extremely serious, unfortunate, and condemnable,” signalling a strict no-tolerance stance on political violence.

“I strongly oppose any form of violence, indecent behaviour, or the use of unparliamentary language. We deeply respect the rightful demands and sentiments of every section of society,” Ajit Pawar stated in an official statement.

Pawar reminded party workers that the NCP’s identity is firmly rooted in the democratic, egalitarian, and fraternal ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. He appealed to all party colleagues to always uphold the values of democracy, peace, and non-violence while working in public life.

Taking immediate action, Ajit Pawar directed Suraj Chavan, the state president of the Nationalist Youth Congress, to resign from his post. “This strict decision has been taken because behaviour that goes against the party’s values will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.

However, the controversy did not end there. Sunil Mane, State General Secretary and Spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, raised a sharp counterpoint. While thanking Ajit Pawar for securing Suraj Chavan’s resignation, Mane demanded that Minister Manikrao Kokate should also step down.

Mane alleged that the real trigger behind the clash was Minister Kokate’s misconduct in the assembly, where he was allegedly caught playing the card game ‘Rummy’ during a session. “That is the real reason for this controversy, and responsibility must be fixed at the top, not just at the youth wing level,” Mane said.

The Latur incident has now escalated into an intra-party flashpoint, exposing fault lines within the NCP’s leadership and raising questions about internal discipline, political ethics, and accountability in Maharashtra’s power corridors.