While the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) continue to battle infighting and wait for at least one important portfolio, the Opposition NCP(SP) stares at a possibility of yet another round of exodus ahead of legislative council elections on 17 seats.

For ruling NCP, while the absence of its working president Praful Patel from the party’s important meeting at the resident of party chief and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar’s official residence on Tuesday night and verbal altercation between state president Sunil Tatkare and senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal indicate raging infighting it faces the task of reclaiming the Finance portfolio from the BJP.

According to sources within the NCP, the meeting Tuesday evening also discussed the delay in handing over of the Finance portfolio to the party.

“After the death of Ajit Pawar, it was taken over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It was understandable as the budget had to be presented. Now, after four months, there seems to be no progress on giving it back to the party,” a senior MLA said.

According to him, the issue was raised by party ministers, MLAs and leaders in the meeting with Sunetra Pawar.
“There has to be some clarity. Whether we are going to get any other department instead of Finance, should be conveyed to us. It is important that the NCP does not look compromised,” another MLA said.

During the meeting, a senior minister also pointed out the growing political influence of the BJP on all 288 Assembly seats in the state and questioned whether the NCP was ready to face the 2029 challenge.

While the ruling NCP is battling its own battles, the Opposition NCP(SP) led by veteran leader Sharad Pawar is staring at yet another round of exodus.

Prajakt Tanpure, former minister and leader from Ahilyanagar district is likely to switch sides ahead of legislative council polls scheduled on June 18. Tanpure, a nephew of NCP(SP)’s senior leader Jayant Patil, had backed out from the recently held Rahuri assembly bypoll. He is likely to join the BJP on May 30.

“I do not know about his move towards the BJP. He had decided to not contest the Assembly bypoll and we respected that. But there was no talk about him joining the BJP. I will personally hold a conversation with him and try to understand whether he is unhappy in the NCP(SP),” said party’s state president Shashikant Shinde.

According to sources within the party, a former minister from Marathwada is also contemplating to switch sides and held a meeting with Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, last week. The former minister is reportedly promised a ticket in the upcoming council elections.