NCP chief Ajit Pawar and party's Maharashtra President Sunil Tatkare
Credit: PTI File Photo
MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has chosen Nagpur to host its Rashtravadi Chintan Shivir, a national-level introspection and strategy session to chalk out important steps in the party’s organisational and ideological roadmap, on September 19.
NCP national president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will preside over the deliberations.
Incidentally, Nagpur is the home town of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who runs the Maha Yuti dispensation, of which the NCP is part along with the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
This is the first such meeting after the split of June-July 2023 in the NCP during which Ajit Pawar claimed control of the party from his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar, who later formed the NCP (SP).
The meeting comes after the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections of 2024 and ahead of the mega corporation polls of Maharashtra expected in the first quarter of 2026.
“This is not just a regular meeting, it’s a powerful message. For the first time in decades, our party is organising such a grand and meaningful Chintan Shivir. Under the visionary leadership of Ajit Pawar, the NCP is preparing for the future, not just for the next election, but for the next two decades," Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare told reporters in Mumbai.
"While many political parties are still reacting to recent election results, the NCP is stepping ahead," he said, taking a swipe at the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.
"After months of tireless ground-level work and a spectacular performance in the recent Assembly elections where the party secured 58,16,566 votes, nearly three times more than its Lok Sabha tally, the NCP is now looking at organisational and ideological transformation," said Tatkare.
“This Chintan Shivir will bring together our MLAs, MPs, senior leaders, youth representatives, and thinkers from all over the country. Together, we will discuss how to reach every household, every village, and every voter, not just with slogans, but with action,” added Tatkare, the Raigad MP.
The Chintan Shivir will brainstorm political strategies rooted in the timeless thoughts, learnings and ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Shahu Maharaj, and Babasaheb Ambedkar. Keeping traditional roots, the party will address the changing aspirations of India’s youth, middle class and women.
"Technology is moving fast, and so are people’s expectations. Youth want purpose, jobs, and dignity. Women want security and respect. Farmers want results, not promises. The NCP is listening, learning, and evolving,” Tatkare said.
The Chintan Shivir is expected to deliver a roadmap for national expansion, a renewed push for youth and women-centric policies, local body election preparedness across Maharashtra, and strengthening party structure right from the booth level to the State level.
“The Rashtravadi Chintan Shivir is more than an event. It is a political turning point for the State. It reflects the NCP’s transformation under Ajit Pawar’s leadership into a future-facing, disciplined, and development-focused party. The political mood is changing, and the NCP is leading that change. We invite the people, media, and all party workers to witness history in the making at Nagpur," added Tatkare.