Mumbai: In a high-octane press conference, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Wednesday levelled explosive allegations against Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, claiming the duo attempted to seize control of the Nationalist Congress Party following the sudden demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash.
He further claimed that a group of leaders wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) claiming changes to the party constitution to vest sweeping powers in a “working president”, and said Sunetra Pawar subsequently wrote to the poll body asking it to disregard any such correspondence during the transition period after Ajit Pawar’s demise.
Rohit Pawar suggested a deep-rooted “conspiracy” involving strategic letters to the Election Commission (EC), alleged practitioners of black magic, and the suppression of family members’ voices.
According to Rohit Pawar, a letter was sent to the Election Commission on February 16, 2026 — just 18 days after Ajit Pawar’s fatal accident on January 28. This letter, reportedly signed by Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and Brijmohan Srivastava, claimed that the party’s constitution had been amended.
“The amendment sought to transfer all party powers and authority — previously held by Ajit Dada — to the Working President (Praful Patel). This was done without the knowledge of Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar, or the party’s MLAs,” Rohit Pawar stated.
He further revealed that upon becoming National President, Sunetra Pawar immediately wrote to the EC, urging them to disregard any correspondence made between the date of the accident and her appointment.
In a startling claim, Rohit Pawar alleged that “black magic” rituals were performed outside Ajit Pawar’s residence while he was still alive. He questioned if a “godman from Nashik” was used to influence the party’s leadership through occult means.
He also pointed towards a potential coordination with external political forces, citing a statement by Union Minister Piyush Goyal. Two days after the accident, Goyal reportedly referred to Praful Patel as the National President of the NCP. Though Goyal later claimed it was a slip of the tongue, Rohit Pawar argued the sequence of events suggests the transition was “pre-planned” between Patel, Tatkare, and other senior leaders, he said.
Rohit Pawar alleged that MLAs were strictly instructed by Tatkare and Patel not to speak about the details of Ajit Pawar’s accident during the Assembly session. He claimed that Jay Pawar (Ajit Pawar’s son) intended to hold a press conference, but his voice was “suppressed.”
“Given these suspicious moves to grab power, we reiterate our demand for a high-level criminal investigation into the accident itself,” Rohit said.
Closing his statement, Rohit Pawar issued a somber warning to the current Deputy Chief Minister, Sunetra Pawar. “Politics has become very ugly,” he remarked. “You must be careful of the people surrounding you. While the workers and MLAs are vital, the intentions of those currently at the helm are questionable,” he remarked.
(IANS)
