Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil hits back at Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: After two members of the Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil family were suspended from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for alleged anti-party activities, the veteran leader’s family has now challenged the party to act against Ajit Pawar.

The NCP had recently suspended six Zilla Parishad (ZP) members in Solapur —  belonging to the Mohite-Patil faction — for supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent local body elections. The NCP, however, has said that Mohite-Patil family does not have the moral right to criticise the party and its leader.

The decision to support the BJP by the six ZP members had affected the prospects of NCP candidates. The NCP candidates were defeated for the post of ZP president and vice-president in Solapur. Consequently, the party suspended Swaruparani Mohite Patil, Sheetaladevi Mohite Patil, Arun Todkar, Sunanda Phule, Ganesh Patil and Mangal Patil.

Jaysinh Mohite-Patil, who is Vijaysinh’s elder brother, had questioned the party for failing to act against Mr Pawar for splitting the party and taking oath along with Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP in November 2019.

“Ajit dada took oath of deputy chief minister (DCM) along with the BJP and later re-took the oath as DCM with the MVA. What action has been taken against him? Action should be taken against him first and subsequently the party can take action against us,” Jaysinh said.

He also asked, “Are we weak? And what moral authority do you have (to take action against us)?.”

When contacted over this issue, NCP spokesperson Ankush Kakade said that Jaysinh has no moral right to criticise NCP or Ajit Pawar. “Ajit Pawar has always obeyed the party’s order. Mohite-Patil family, including Vijaysinh, Ranjitsinh, Jaysinh, has always campaigned against NCP during Parliament and Assembly elections,” Mr Kakade added.

Vijaysinh’s relationship with the NCP hit rock bottom during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls after his son Ranjitsinh joined the BJP.