power-play-in-ncp-praful-patel-steps-down-from-rajya-sabha

NCP Leader Praful Patel met the Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and has resigned from the Rajya Sabha Amid Factional Rift.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel has stepped down from his position as a member of the Rajya Sabha following his re-election to the Upper House earlier this month.

Patel, who had four years remaining in his fifth term, opted for resignation after facing a disqualification petition filed by the faction led by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. According to a bulletin from the Rajya Sabha, Patel's resignation was accepted by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, effective from February 27, 2024.

Having aligned himself with Ajit Pawar in the ongoing factional feud within the NCP, Patel secured his fifth term in the Rajya Sabha in July 2022. The disqualification petition against Patel was filed by the NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar faction under Section 2(a) of the Tenth Schedule, citing grounds of defection.

With Patel's resignation, a vacancy will be created in the Rajya Sabha, likely to be filled by him, replacing Vandana Chavan, whose tenure ends in April. Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's nephew, had defected from the NCP along with a majority of party MLAs last July and assumed the role of deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

Recently, the Election Commission recognized Ajit Pawar's faction as the legitimate NCP, granting it the party's 'clock' election symbol. Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has also acknowledged Ajit Pawar's group as the authentic NCP.

Following Patel's resignation, the Election Commission will be required to conduct a bypoll to fill the vacant seat in the Rajya Sabha. This development adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing power struggle within the NCP, which has seen competing factions vying for control and recognition.

Patel's resignation underscores the deep-seated divisions within the NCP, with loyalty and allegiances being tested amidst political maneuvering and realignments. As the party navigates through these turbulent waters, the bypoll to fill Patel's seat will be closely watched, serving as a litmus test for the strength and stability of the various factions within the NCP.