Will face onslaught of Central agencies with full vigour: NCP days after I-T department raids at Ajit Pawar’s relatives’ premises

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Maharashtra’s ruling coalition ally Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday said it will face the onslaught of central agencies on its leaders and workers will full vigour, days after the I-T department raided entities linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s relatives.

Speaking after a review meeting of the NCP presided over by its president Sharad Pawar here, party spokesperson Nawab Malik told reporters that be it the I-T department or the Enforcement Directorate (ED), NCP leaders and people close to them are being targeted by central agencies.

“The party has decided that it will face the onslaught of the central agencies. Our party workers will not fear any action the BJP and its agencies resort to. We have decided to face them with full vigour,” Malik, a senior minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, said.

The review meeting comes days after the Income Tax department raided entities linked to relatives of Ajit Pawar, a senior NCP leader, in the state. Senior NCP leader and former state minister Anil Deshmukh is also facing probe by central agencies on multiple charges.

The gathering was attended by top leaders and legislators of the party, which is a key constituent of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government. Pawar also reviewed the work of NCP ministers.

Besides Pawar, party’s state president Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar and NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule attended the meet.

“A review meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party was held today under the leadership of National President Sharad Pawar. Mr Pawar reviewed the work of the ministers in the party’s state cabinet,” the NCP tweeted. PTI PR NCP ministers hold some key departments, including Home and Finance, in the MVA government, which will complete two years in office next month.

Responding to a question on compensation for farmers hit due to rains, Malik said the government has taken the decision that as per State Disaster Relief Fund norms, distribution of payout should start in cases where ‘panchanama’ (damage assessment) has been completed.

A decision on whatever additional compensation needs to be given to affected farmers will be decided in the Cabinet, the minister added.

Malik said the posts of state corporations and boards which have been allocated to the NCP will soon be filled.