NCP (SP) Maharashtra chief dissolves party's panel of spokespersons

Mumbai: Amid reports of discontent within the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), its Maharashtra unit president Jayant Patil has dissolved the party's panel of spokespersons, its office-bearer said.

The Sharad Pawar-led party, which is a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, has 22 spokespersons to represent it on electronic and print media.

A party spokesperson said he has received a letter from Patil about the panel of spokespersons being dissolved and no reason has been mentioned for the move.

"Maybe the party unit is being restructured," he said.

Since the party's dismal performance in the state assembly polls held in November last year, in which it could win only 10 seats, there were reports of growing resentment against the state leadership.

It is reported that party MLA Rohit Pawar, who is the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar, was not on good terms with Patil. There is also a buzz of Patil joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance.

But both Pawar and Patil have rubbished these speculations.