Supriya Sule blames BJP for NCP split, calls it 'most corrupt party in India'

Holding the BJP responsible for the split in her party, she alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said NCP stands for ‘Naturally Corrupt Party’.

"But now, the same BJP leaders - who had loftily claimed ‘na khaunga, na khaunga’ - have joined hands with the 'Naturally Corrupt Party' (faction) of Ajit Pawar and have gulped down all its corruption," she said.

Reacting to her cousin, rival NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s praise of the BJP and PM Modi, she said: “That's why today, I am levelling this charge – that the BJP is the country’s ‘Most Corrupt Party’ as they have sided with the party they had denigrated on various occasions.”

On Ajit Pawar's advice to his uncle Sharad Pawar to ‘sit at home’ considering his age and guide the youngsters, Sule shot back, giving the examples of several octogenarian personalities who are still going strong in their respective fields.

She named industrialist Ratan Tata, 85, who is guiding the fortunes of the Tata empire, Amitabh Bachchan, 82, still the highest-rated superstar, and former Jammu & Kashmir Farooq Abdullah, 85, to prove her point that her father (Sharad Pawar) has miles to go.

She said the party has fought many wars in the past and will weather even the current intra-party storm to emerge stronger, more united, and march ahead.

Ajit Pawar, who took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra last week said that he wants to be the "Chief Minister someday".

His faction also claimed that he was elected the national president of the party on June 30, two days before the coup.

The faction has submitted a request to the Election Commission claiming the party's name and symbol.

However, Sharad Pawar has hit back saying the 'symbol won't go anywhere'.

Both factions of the NCP held separate meetings on Wednesday each showcasing the strength.

While Ajit Pawar claimed the support of over 40 MLAs and MLCs, about 29 MLAs were seen on the stage at the meeting called by him. The other faction paraded 17 MLAs.

The NCP has 53 MLAs in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

[With UNI inputs]