Mumbai, March 24 (NationPress) The recent resignation of Rupali Chakankar, head of the Maharashtra NCP women’s wing, from her role as chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, due to her alleged connections with the self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, marks yet another incident in a long series of controversies surrounding NCP leaders. This pattern of allegations and subsequent resignations or demotions has persisted since the party's inception in June 1999.

The roster of implicated figures includes Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dr Padamsinh Patil, Suresh Jain, Nawab Malik, Anil Deshmukh, Dhananjay Munde, Manikrao Kokate, Dr Vijaykumar Gavit, and Dharmaraobaba Atram, all of whom have found themselves embroiled in various scandals. These issues have led to forced resignations or, in some instances, imprisonment.

After the establishment of the Mahayuti government in December 2024, two NCP ministers, Dhananjay Munde and Manikrao Kokate, resigned. Chakankar's departure as chairperson of the State Women's Commission is the latest consequence, resulting in three NCP leaders stepping down within a year and a half.

Dhananjay Munde, formerly close to the NCP president and ex-deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, resigned following allegations of links to the murder of Beed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Munde has sought to return to the cabinet for six months. Meanwhile, Manikrao Kokate lost his position after a court found him guilty of document forgery to acquire a government flat.

Upon its formation in 1999, the NCP quickly joined the Democratic Front government. During its first term from 1999 to 2004, allegations made by social activist Anna Hazare led to the resignations of Dr Padamsinh Patil, Suresh Jain, and Nawab Malik over corruption claims. Despite the Justice Sawant Commission's criticisms of Dr Vijaykumar Gavit, he managed to maintain his position, although the simultaneous resignations of three ministers severely impacted the party.

Throughout the years, various ministers from the NCP have faced numerous allegations. Veteran politician Chhagan Bhujbal was scrutinized in 2003 over the Telgi stamp paper scam, which led to his resignation as Deputy Chief Minister. Officially, it was attributed to an altercation with a news channel, but insiders suggested the Telgi scandal triggered his departure.

In 2011, the Reserve Bank of India dissolved the board of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank due to mismanagement, with top NCP leaders, including Ajit Pawar, serving on its board. The party blamed former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for this action. In 2012, Ajit Pawar resigned after the notorious Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam, which raised questions about the state's irrigation potential despite massive spending. He resigned but returned to the cabinet shortly thereafter.

Following 2014, Chhagan Bhujbal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Maharashtra Sadan scam, spending nearly two years in custody. Under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Anil Deshmukh (facing extortion charges) and Nawab Malik (alleged ties to Dawood Ibrahim's family) were also imprisoned.

Despite these serious allegations, the party leadership—first under Sharad Pawar and later Ajit Pawar after the July 2023 split—has largely supported their leaders. Whether regarding the irrigation scam, Cooperative Bank issues, or sugar factory takeovers, Ajit Pawar has faced scrutiny, yet no public disciplinary actions have been taken against these leaders, impacting the party’s reputation.

In the 1990s, allegations made by BJP leader Gopinath Munde against Sharad Pawar, then the Chief Minister of the Congress-led government, significantly influenced the party's performance in the 1995 elections.

Even after Ajit Pawar’s recent rebellion, internal stability within the party remains fragile. While Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare initially backed Dhananjay Munde, pressure from the BJP ultimately resulted in his resignation, indicating that the fight for a “clean image” persists even within the current alliance.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)