Rohit Pawar alleges bid to take control of NCP after Ajit Pawar’s death

NCP SP MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday made serious allegations against senior NCP leaders claiming there was a ldquopremeditated planrdquo to take control of the party following the death of Ajit Pawar earlier this year reported news agency PTIAddressing a press conference Rohit Pawar alleged that Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare had written to the Election Commission of India ECI claiming that the party constitution had been amended to transfer sweeping powers to the working president reported PTIAllegations of False Claims to Election CommissionRohit Pawar claimed that within weeks of Ajit Pawarrsquos death in a plane crash on January 28 Patel Tatkare and another leader communicated with the ECI stating that in the absence of a national president all powers would vest with the working president reported PTIHe alleged that these claims were false and were made without informing key family members including Ajit Pawarrsquos wife Sunetra Pawar and son Parth PawarSunetra Pawar Wrote to EC to Reject Interim CommunicationsAccording to Rohit Pawar after taking charge as NCP president Sunetra Pawar wrote to the ECI requesting that any correspondence sent during the transition period mdash between Ajit Pawarrsquos death and her appointment mdash be disregardedHe claimed that documents dated February 16 and March 10 effectively attempted to concentrate all decisionmaking powers with the working president raising concerns over internal party processes reported PTIQuestions Raised Over Political DevelopmentsRohit Pawar also termed as ldquosuspiciousrdquo statements made by Union minister Piyush Goyal regarding leadership changes in the party alleging that there may have been coordinated efforts to influence control of the NCP reported PTIHe further claimed that certain political leaders exerted pressure to stall a proposed press conference by Ajit Pawarrsquos younger son Jay PawarFresh Allegations Linked to Plane Crash CaseThe MLA also linked the controversy to the ongoing investigation into the January 28 plane crash reiterating his demand for a criminal probe into the incidentHe alleged that there were attempts to protect the company operating the aircraft involved in the crash and questioned continued financial dealings with the firm even after the tragedy reported PTIlsquoZero FIRrsquo Filed Outside MaharashtraRohit Pawar said that following advice from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi he filed a Zero FIR in Bengaluru after being unable to register a case in MaharashtraA Zero FIR allows a complaint to be registered in any jurisdiction and later transferred to the relevant police station for investigationClaims of Pressure During Legislature SessionWithout naming individuals he also alleged that instructions were issued to avoid raising the issue of Ajit Pawarrsquos death during the legislature session leading to silence among several MLAsDemands for Full Investigation and TransparencyRaising broader concerns Rohit Pawar questioned whether the sequence of events mdash including alleged internal communications and developments surrounding the crash mdash pointed to a larger conspiracyHe called for a thorough and independent investigation to establish the facts stating that the truth behind the incident must be brought to lightThe allegations have added a new dimension to the political discourse in Maharashtra with potential implications for both party dynamics and the ongoing investigation into the highprofile crashWith inputs from PTI