Party workers attend meet to support Sharad Pawar

NCP leader Jayant Patil has replaced Ajit Pawar in the party. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

As BJP workers were busy rooting for Devendra Fadnavis at the party's Mumbai office on Saturday afternoon, another drama was unfolding at the Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium in Nariman Point. Here, NCP leaders had come down for a meeting with their party MLAs. Sources told mid-day that close to 50 MLAs were present at the meet. Meanwhile, NCP workers from across the state had gathered outside the auditorium.

This meeting was announced by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. To extend their support to Sharad Pawar, which is also seen as an exercise of flexing muscle, party workers soon began gathering at the venue.

Around 5.30 pm, NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, who is said to be a close confidant of Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, reached the auditorium. He, however, ended up facing the wrath of party workers, who were seen shouting slogans against him.

In the meeting, the NCP has replaced Ajit with Jayant Patil, who is now the new legislature party leader.

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi also attended the meeting. Drama broke out when Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde reached the auditorium with NCP MLA Sanjay Bansod. It is alleged that Bansod was on his way to Delhi when Shiv Sena leader Milind Narwekar took him to the Lalit and then to the auditorium.

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