Ajit Pawar warns NCP workers against misconduct, says such acts tarnish party image

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on Friday (August 1, 2025) cautioned party workers against misconduct, including public disturbances and celebratory firing, saying such actions tarnish the reputation of both the individual and the party.

His remarks come in the wake of two recent controversies linked to NCP members, which included an incident in Pune district where the brother of an NCP MLA allegedly fired a gun at a “tamasha” venue in Daund.

“Do not go to Chaufula and do not open fire in the air. Such acts not only bring disrepute to the individual but also to the party,” he told party functionaries at a gathering in Pune.

Chaufula is a village on the Pune-Solapur Road in Daund tehsil, known for its folk art centres showcasing lavani and tamasha performances.

Mr. Pawar also spoke about the alleged dowry death of Vaishnavi Hagawane, whose in-laws, including NCP leader Rajendra Hagawane, face accusations of harassment.

“Is it the party that asked the family to harass their daughter-in-law?” he questioned, adding that he would not have attended their wedding had he known of their actions.

The grand wedding in 2023 was a high-profile event, where Mr. Pawar himself handed the couple the keys to an SUV.

Vaishnavi (26), daughter-in-law of Hagawane, allegedly died by suicide at her marital home in Bavdhan, Pimpri-Chinchwad, on May 16.

Her family has alleged that she was harassed for dowry, including a demand for ₹2 crore to purchase land. Hagawane has since been expelled from the party.

Mr. Pawar further advised party workers to maintain communal harmony by upholding the ideologies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.