Nationalist Congress Party national working president Praful Patel on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) said there is no rift in the party and a letter written by NCP national secretary Sachchidanand Singh, who challenged as the party president, carries no weight.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday rejected allegations that the election of Sunetra Pawar as its national president was unconstitutional, adding that the process was held in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Party sources said the NCP would seek legal opinion about a notice sent by former national secretary Sachchidanand Singh disputing Ms. Pawar’s election.
“Prima facie, the notice seems devoid of merit. The proceedings of the national convention were held as per the prescribed rules. The election was legally valid,” Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare said. Senior leader Praful Patel dismissed the notice, saying it “carried no weight.”
Sunetra Pawar, Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, was elected as the NCP national president at the party’s convention in Mumbai on February 26 after the post fell vacant following the demise of her husband, Ajit Pawar, in an air crash on January 28.
Mr. Singh, a Jharkhand-based NCP leader and former national secretary, recently served a legal notice on Ms. Pawar, Mr. Patel and another party leader, Brijmohan Srivastava, claiming that the rules laid down in the party’s constitution had not been followed during the election. He has sought their response within 15 days.
NCP leaders dismissed suggestions that the legal notice reflected divisions within the party.
Mr. Patel said senior leaders continued to sit with Ms. Pawar to regularly discuss organisational and political issues. “Any issue should be amicably resolved in the interest of the party,” he said.
Mr. Tatkare said the views of one party member should not be construed as the official position of the party. “The party functions according to its collective organisational position. Under the leadership of Vahinisaheb (an affectionate and respectful way of referring to Ms. Pawar), the party is functioning in a united manner and following democratic principles,” he said.
Some party leaders alleged that the notice was part of a political conspiracy against the Pawar family as it consolidated its hold over the NCP.
“This is a conspiracy against Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar. They have taken up larger organisational roles and strengthened their hold within the party. This has led to insecurity among some senior leaders in Maharashtra. One needs to find out the mastermind behind Sachchidanand Singh,” NCP leader Amol Mitkari told The Hindu.
Another Pune-based NCP leader, Sanjay Kakade, expressed similar apprehensions.
Published - July 14, 2026 02:54 pm IST