Mumbai: Following the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) securing only 10 out of 87 contested seats in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections, signs of potential defections are emerging within the party. Two former NCP (SP) MLAs, Rahul Jagtap from Shrigonda and Mansing Naik from Shirala, recently met Ajit Pawar, the leader of the rival NCP faction that is part of the ruling Mahayuti government, sparking speculation that they might join his camp.
Additionally, NCP (SP) MP Suresh Mhatre, representing Bhiwandi, held a meeting with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis, further fueling rumors about shifting allegiances. The move comes after a disappointing performance in the state assembly elections, where the NCP (SP), along with allies Congress and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), collectively won only 46 seats in the 288-member assembly.
During the assembly poll campaign, several leaders and MLAs had joined NCP (SP) after its strong showing in the Lok Sabha elections, where the party won eight seats. However, their hopes were dashed as the party’s performance in the state elections faltered.
Jagtap, who contested as an independent after NCP (SP) conceded Shrigonda to Shiv Sena (UBT) in a seat-sharing pact with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, finished second in the race, trailing BJP’s Vikram Pachpute by over 37,000 votes. Meanwhile, Naik, a key figure who remained loyal to Sharad Pawar during the party split in 2023, lost his seat to BJP’s Satyajit Deshmukh by 22,689 votes.
Despite the meetings with Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis, the leaders have kept their intentions under wraps, adding fuel to the political speculation. NCP (SP) sources suggest that these leaders, among others, are considering joining the Ajit Pawar faction.
NCP MLA Rohit Pawar dismissed the defection claims, suggesting Mhatre’s meeting with Fadnavis might have been to discuss local issues like rising crime and women’s security. He stressed that suggesting the party’s leaders are reaching out to ruling parties could lead Maharashtra down a dangerous path.
 securing only 10 out of 87 contested seats in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections, signs of potential defections are emerging within the party. Two former NCP (SP) MLAs, Rahul Jagtap from Shrigonda and Mansing Naik from Shirala, recently met Ajit Pawar, the leader of the rival NCP faction that is part of the ruling Mahayuti government, sparking speculation that they might join his camp.){kind=link}