Mumbai, June 5 (IANS) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Maharashtra President and MP Sunil Tatkare on Friday announced that the party’s 27th Foundation Day will be celebrated on June 10 under the theme, “Dedication, Struggle and Resolve”.

This will be the first Foundation Day function to be held after the untimely demise of former party president and former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Speaking to the media, Tatkare said this year’s celebrations would be centred around the themes of “Dedication” (a tribute to Ajitdada), “Struggle” (the party’s political and ideological journey), and “Resolve” (its vision and goals for the future).

The programme will be held under the leadership of NCP National President and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar.

Tatkare said that as part of the preparations, he interacted through a Zoom meeting with party MLAs, district presidents, state office-bearers, heads of various cells and other key functionaries from across Maharashtra.

He said that late Ajitdada Pawar had worked tirelessly to expand the party and strengthen its grassroots support across Maharashtra. Under his leadership, the NCP emerged as the single-largest party in the 2004 Assembly elections, winning 73 seats.

Tatkare recalled that in 2023, guided by the vision of late Yashwantrao Chavan that meaningful welfare of the broader masses could be achieved only through participation in governance, the party collectively decided under Ajitdada’s leadership to join the NDA.

He said senior leaders, including himself, Chhagan Bhujbal, Praful Patel, Hasan Mushrif, Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde and a majority of the party’s legislators, supported the decision.

Referring to the party’s recent electoral performance, Tatkare said that although the party did not achieve the desired success in the Lok Sabha elections, it performed strongly in the Assembly elections under Ajitdada’s leadership, contesting 59 seats and winning 41, registering a strike rate of nearly 72 per cent.

He noted that the Mahayuti government subsequently returned to power in Maharashtra.

“Just as the government had begun gathering momentum, our own momentum was halted by Ajitdada’s untimely passing,” he added.

“It has now been four months since we lost him, and the pain remains profound.”

He appealed to party workers and leaders to attend the Foundation Day programme in large numbers and use the occasion to strengthen the organisation, expand the party’s reach and begin the next phase of work with renewed energy and commitment.

–IANS

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