scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
Sunday, January 4, 2026
TopicNCP

Topic: NCP

The NCP or Nationalist Congress Party was founded in 1999 by Sharad Pawar after he quit the Indian National Congress (INC) along with Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar. While the NCP started as a national party with values of ‘Gandhian secularism’ and ‘progressive and modern progress’, its biggest electoral success has been in Maharashtra, Pawar’s home state. In 2023, the Election Commission withdrew the party’s status as a ‘national party’ as the NCP could no longer meet the criteria of such a designation.

As of 2024, the party is split into two factions — one led by founder Sharad Pawar and another by his nephew Ajit Pawar. The faction led by Ajit is in power in Maharashtra along with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde). This faction today is knonw as the Nationalist Congress Party, having been granted the original party name and symbol by the Supreme Court. The other faction is called the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Other important leaders include Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, and Rajesh Tope.

‘Stand on your legs,’ SC tells Ajit Pawar’s NCP not to use uncle & party founder Sharad Pawar’s name

ANI -
Sharad Pawar’s lawyers argued Ajit, who broke away from the parent party & joined the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra last year, was piggybacking on the veteran leader’s goodwill.

Fact Check: Islamic flag mistaken for Pakistan’s at NCP rally in poll-bound Maharashtra

ThePrint Team -
Image from the rally with the flag in background was shared on social media with the claim that it was Pakistan’s. However, it lacks the vertical stripe seen on Pakistan’s flag.

Main accused Shiva Kumar, four others sent to police custody for Baba Siddiqui’s murder till 19 Nov

ANI -
Those arrested are part of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang whose next target is a Pune leader after Siddiqui's murder, said the Mumbai Crime Branch.

Maharashtra’s poll map has been drawn. It’s littered with rebellions & ‘friendly fights’ in MVA & Mahayuti

Purva Chitnis -
This is the first state election after traditional political alignments underwent a churn and two major regional parties split, bringing more parties and candidates in the fray.

In Pawar bastion Baramati, Yugendra up against his own Goliath. Uncle Ajit has never lost an election

+TFP Manasi Phadke -
Second nephew versus uncle tussle in Pawar family, with Sharad & Ajit Pawar at loggerheads following latter’s rebellion. Yugendra is son of Ajit’s elder brother Shrinivas.

Mumbai police arrest Noida man for issuing death threat to Salman Khan, NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique

PTI -
The accused initially sent a threatening message to MLA Zeeshan Siddique's helpline number and later issued a death threat to Siddique and actor Salman Khan on a voice call.

Baba Siddique son Zeeshan joins Ajit Pawar’s NCP, to contest state polls again from Bandra East

ANI -
Zeeshan was upset with the Congress after it gave away his seat to Uddhav Sena, as per the Maharashtra opposition’s seat-sharing formula for the upcoming elections.

NCP releases 1st list with 38 candidates for Maharashtra polls, Ajit Pawar to contest from Baramati

PTI -
26 sitting MLAs have been renominated for the November elections. Legislators who have defected from Congress also fielded.

NCP cancels all party programmes scheduled for the day over murder of Baba Siddique’s killing

ANI -
The former Maharashtra minister, who had quit Congress to join Ajit Pawar's NCP this year, was shot in Bandra. CM Shinde said that 2 assailants have been arrested, with one still at large.

Who was Baba Siddique, ex-MLA who left Congress after 48 yrs to join NCP, hosted elite Iftar parties

Purva Chitnis -
The former Maharashtra minister was shot dead in Mumbai’s Bandra Saturday. 2 of the assailants have been arrested. He was a three-time MLA from the Bandra West constituency.
1...345...17Page 4 of 17

On Camera

YourTurn

Opinion

Economy

Wall Street carries big expectations this year after best run since 2009

Denitsa Tsekova -
The concern is not that 2025’s rally was irrational, but that it may be difficult to repeat. Outlooks remain anchored to AI investment and growth without reigniting inflation.

Defence

Greece looking at TATA’s WhAP infantry combat vehicle for army procurement

Snehesh Alex Philip -
If deal goes through, Greece will be 2nd foreign country to procure vehicle. Morocco was first; TATA Group has set up manufacturing unit there with minimum 30 percent indigenous content.

National Interest

A year-end Mea Culpa in National Interest—The Army-Islam combo doesn’t kill democracy

Shekhar Gupta -
Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.

Follow us

Copyright © 2025 Printline Media Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.