Ajit, Sharad factions jostle for support from undecided NCP MLAs

The MLAs are Saroj Ahire, Nawab Malik, Atul Benke, Chandrakant alias Raju Nawghare, Daulat Daroda and Ashutosh Kale.

With NCP MLA Saroj Ahire yet to make her stand clear, both the warring factions of the Sharad Pawar-founded party met her over the weekend. Ahire, an MLA from Deolali in Nashik district, is currently admitted to a hospital in Nashik city.

Sharad Pawar’s daughter and the party’s National Working President Supriya Sule met Ahire on Saturday, while Chhagan Bhujbal, who is the seniormost leader in the Ajit Pawar-Praful Patel faction, met her on Sunday.

Ahire (41) is among the half a dozen legislators who are yet to announce their position.

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The other MLAs are Nawab Malik, Atul Benke, Chandrakant alias Raju Nawghare, Daulat Daroda and Ashutosh Kale.

Malik (62), who is an MLA from Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai, is currently in jail in connection with alleged charges of money laundering - involving property deals with people linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and is being investigated by the ED and CBI.

Malik is considered close to senior Pawar, was a former minister and the official spokesperson of the party. He still holds the office of the Mumbai NCP president.

Benke (42) is an MLA from Junnar constituency in Pune district.

Kale (37) is an MLA from Kopargaon in Shirdi in Ahmednagar district. He is the Chairman of the Karmaveer Shankarrao Kale Co-operative Sugar Factory. He is also Chairman of Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust.

Navghare (41) is an MLA from Basmath in the state's Hingoli district and is also involved in the cooperative sector.

Daroda (55) is an MLA from Shahapur in the Thane district. He is a four-time MLA and earlier was with the Shiv Sena.