- Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction cancelled all spokesperson appointments until further notice
- The party has 22 spokespersons but only Vidya Chavan and Mahesh Tapase will now represent it
- Vikas Lawande acknowledged loss of spokesperson role and reaffirmed commitment to the party
Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction on Tuesday cancelled all appointments to the position of party spokespersons effective immediately until further orders.
The party has 22 spokespersons to represent it on electronic and print media.
"Former MLA Vidya Chavan and Mahesh Tapase will represent the party's official stance before the media as the party's authorised spokespersons," the party said in a statement on X.
Vikas Lawande, a party leader, said he is "no longer in the party's spokesperson position", adding he accepts it.
"For any worker or party office-bearer, the party does not exist; rather, workers and office-bearers exist for the party-this has always been my firm belief. It is because of the party that the identity of workers and office-bearers is built," Lawande said in a long post on X, adding he is "grateful to the party leaders for whatever trust they showed in me until today and for giving me the opportunity as party spokesperson".
"I remain committed to the party's fundamental ideology and will continue to stay active for the party. To make the party organization even stronger, henceforth too, I will take whatever responsibility the party gives me and remain active for the party's democratic, progressive, and secular ideals. Politics for social work-this remains my eternal principle," Lawande added.
Amid swirling rumours, Sharad Pawar, late in July, categorically rejected reports of a possible merger between the two NCP factions, declaring that there is "no question" of the split camps joining hands.
