Daijiworld Media Network - Nagpur

Nagpur, Nov 21: The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) suffered a major jolt ahead of the upcoming local body elections as senior leader Salil Deshmukh, son of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, resigned from the party on Wednesday. While Deshmukh cited health reasons, political analysts in Nagpur suggest he may join Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, and contest the upcoming zilla parishad elections on its ticket.

Speaking at a press conference, Deshmukh said, “For the last 20–22 years, I have been active in the NCP under Sharad Pawar’s leadership. Our efforts for youth upliftment in Nagpur and across Vidarbha have seen both successes and setbacks.”

In his resignation letter to Sharad Pawar, Deshmukh wrote that due to ongoing health issues, he was unable to continue in active politics for the next six months. Copies of the resignation were also sent to NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule and youth leader Rohit Pawar. Deshmukh had recently been admitted to a private nursing home, and NCP chief Ajit Pawar’s visit to him during this period had already fuelled speculation about his growing proximity to Ajit Pawar’s faction.

Although Deshmukh did not hold a major organisational post, he had contested the Katol Assembly constituency in the 2024 elections, narrowly losing despite strong backing from his father. His potential switch to Ajit Pawar’s faction could shake the political equations in Nagpur, especially given Anil Deshmukh’s tense history with the Mahayuti and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Anil Deshmukh, still with NCP (SP), was arrested in November 2021 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a ?100-crore extortion and money-laundering case, spending 14 months in prison. He was unavailable for comment on his son’s resignation.

Salil Deshmukh’s exit is being viewed as a significant blow to Sharad Pawar’s faction, adding new twists to the upcoming local elections in Maharashtra.