Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) In a move aimed at putting an end to widespread political speculation, the Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday clarified that senior leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare continue to hold their respective organisational positions as the national working president and Maharashtra unit chief, respectively, with full authority.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, NCP leaders Avinash Adik and Umesh Patil stated that a recent communication submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI), which triggered rumours of an internal organisational shuffle, was merely a “clerical mistake.”

He added that a fresh communication will be sent to the poll panel about responsibilities and duties within the party organisation, including those of Patel and Tatkare.

Speculation had been rife within political circles that the party’s command structure was shifting, with rumours suggesting that changes were being made to the roles long occupied by Patel and Tatkare.

The trigger was the communication sent to the Election Commission of India by Sunetra Pawar on April 29, in which the names of Patel and Tatkare were missing from the newly constituted national executive.

Although Patel and Tatkare were included in the newly formed national working committee, they were designated as the NCP leader in Rajya Sabha and the NCP leader in Lok Sabha, respectively.

However, their designation as the national working president and Maharashtra state president was not mentioned before their names, which led to speculation of sidelining them in the party’s functioning.

Dismissing these reports, Umesh Patil emphasised that there is absolutely no change in the top leadership structure.

“Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare continue to hold their posts as before. The letter that reached the Election Commission had a clerical error, which led to unnecessary misinterpretation in the media,” Patil told reporters.

He further said that “The National President will soon convene a National Convention (a meeting of key leaders) in Delhi. Until the internal party election process is completed, the selection of top national-level office bearers for the party organisation, as well as the appointment schedule for internal organisational and administrative office bearers, will be finalised during this convention. Under the current circumstances, the correspondence undertaken by the party with the Election Commission of India has been conducted solely for legal proceedings, administrative communication, and to ensure temporary administrative ease within the party.”

He pointed out that the National President holds the authority to make necessary changes or amendments to the said correspondence, and appropriate decisions regarding the same will be taken in due course during the party’s National Convention.

“Until fresh elections are held for the party’s expanded National Executive Committee and the State Presidents of all states, the positions of all current State Presidents and the National Working President will continue to function as per the previous arrangement,” he reiterated.

“We are issuing a fresh communication to the ECI shortly. This updated letter will not only clarify the continuation of our senior leadership but will also formally include details of some more internal organisational appointments that the party has finalised,” said Patil.

Patil claimed that the conflicting and contradictory reports circulating in the media regarding this matter are completely baseless, and it is requested that all speculations in this regard be put to rest.

“Following the demise of the late Ajit Dada, the Nationalist Congress Party is successfully moving forward under the leadership of the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and National General Secretary MP Parth Dada Pawar, and under the guidance of National Working President MP Praful Patel,” he noted.

The party general secretary Avinash Adik also clarified about the media reports that Patel and Tatkare have been denied entry in the NCP’s Delhi office, saying that the present arrangement continues. He claimed that the party high command remains unified and focused on its upcoming political strategy.

–IANS

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