NCP(SP) MLA Rohit Pawar. | Photo credit: PTI
Leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have written a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) alleging that changes in the party’s constitution are meant to give sweeping powers to working president Praful Patel, alleged NCP-SP leader Rohit Pawar, calling it a “pre-planned strategy” and demanding a probe into the matter on Wednesday (March 25, 2026).
“Just 18 days after NCP chief Ajit Pawar, NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel and Brijmohan Srivastav wrote a letter to ECI without taking NCP leader Partha Pawar, NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) Sunetra Pawar and party MLAs into confidence,” she said. Pawar.
While reading the contents of Sunetra Pawar’s letter, Rohit Pawar said that in the letter, “it is requested that any correspondence made by any person on behalf of the party in this regard between 28 January 2026 and the appointment of the new NCP president shall be treated as null and void.”
According to Rohit Pawar, the first letter signed by NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel and Brijmohan Srivastav was written on 16 February 2026, after which Sunetra Pawar wrote another letter.
Rohit Pawar’s statement created another controversy after he filed a zero FIR in Bengaluru regarding the death of former DCM and his uncle Ajit Pawar. This is the first time he has directly targeted Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, alleging that it was pre-planned to take control of the party in the absence of the national president. He cited ECI’s letters dated March 10 and February 26, signed by Mr. Patel and Mr. Tatkare.
Following the death of Ajit Pawar on 28 January in a plane crash while landing at Baramati Airport, his wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar was appointed DCM on 31 January and elected as NCP President on 26 February.
Calling the move “suspicious”, Rohit Pawar said: “As we are still dealing with his death, BJP leader Piyush Goyal called NCP president Praful Patel. He later called it a mistake, but looking at the chronology, it seems that Patel, Tatkare and other leaders have already decided to take control of the party, and then the meeting of these leaders in January needs to be investigated.”
He alleged that instructions had been issued not to mention the Baramati air crash in the ongoing budget session of the Maharashtra state legislature. As a result, most MLAs remained silent on the matter.
He also alleged that before his death, there were attempts to perform “black magic” rituals outside Ajit Pawar’s residence, possibly involving the self-proclaimed godman from Nashik, who is now arrested in a rape case.
Published – 25 March 2026 16:42 IST
