Intense political churn is underway within the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with senior leaders flying to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah late on Sunday night, even as Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has summoned an emergency meeting of all NCP legislators in Mumbai for 7:00 PM on Tuesday, 4 November 2026. The back-to-back moves have set off a wave of speculation about the party's internal fault lines just months after the death of former NCP chief Ajit Pawar.

The Delhi Meeting and What Triggered It

According to sources, a group of senior NCP veterans gathered at Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi late on Sunday and expressed their discontent directly to him. They reportedly alleged that they were being marginalised within the party as major decisions were increasingly being concentrated around NCP national president and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar. The meeting came to light only the following morning, immediately triggering rival interpretations from the party's central office.

What the Party Says

NCP National Chief Spokesperson Umesh Patil moved quickly on Monday to dismiss reports framing the Delhi meeting as evidence of internal discord, describing them as 'mischievous attempts to create an artificial narrative of discord.' Patil insisted the gathering was pre-scheduled and formal, and that Sunetra Pawar had herself requested Shah to set aside time for the senior leaders.

Patil explained that the veterans present were closely familiar with issues from Ajit Pawar's tenure, matters concerning Maharashtra's interests, and various party-related concerns — and that their interaction with the Home Minister was therefore entirely routine. He also noted that there was an informal exchange of views among leaders of alliance partners, 'as is customary within the Mahayuti.'

'Do not politicise formal meetings between leaders of alliance partners. Understand the difference between planted reports and the facts,' Patil said, urging the media to verify information before publishing.

Sunetra Pawar's Counter-Move

In what political observers are reading as a consolidation exercise, Sunetra Pawar has called all NCP legislators to her official residence, Devagiri, in Mumbai at 7:00 PM on Tuesday. This is the first such comprehensive legislative meeting in four months, and sources within the party say major organisational decisions could emerge from it. Party spokespersons maintain that the discussions will centre on 'alignment, unity, and strategy' within the Mahayuti alliance.

The Broader Context

The NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) has been navigating a complex transition since Ajit Pawar's death, with questions over command structure, legislative loyalty, and alliance positioning within the Mahayuti — the ruling coalition in Maharashtra that also comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction). The timing of the senior leaders' visit to Shah — without the knowledge of the party's new national president, if the dissenters' version is to be believed — adds a layer of complexity to an already delicate power transition. Notably, this is not the first time senior NCP figures have appealed to alliance partners over internal grievances since the faction's formation.

What Happens Next

All eyes are now on Tuesday's legislative meeting at Devagiri. The outcome could determine whether Sunetra Pawar is able to consolidate her grip on the party's legislative bloc or whether the discontent flagged in Delhi crystallises into a more organised internal challenge. Maharashtra's political temperature is expected to remain elevated through the week.