Mumbai: At the opening of the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) national 'Chintan Shibir' (Party Convention) in Nagpur, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP National President Ajit Pawar issued a stern warning to his party’s ministers, stating that those holding guardian minister posts must perform their responsibilities sincerely or be prepared to step down.
Pawar expressed displeasure over reports that several guardian ministers were not visiting their assigned districts regularly, were failing to meet district presidents, senior officials, party workers, and were not engaging with people. “Those appointed as guardian ministers cannot limit their visits only to ceremonial occasions like May 1, August 15, or January 26. They must tour their districts regularly, meet party office bearers and interact with citizens. If they find other work more important than party responsibilities, then they should vacate their chairs,” Pawar said.
The warning came after NCP Working President Praful Patel also raised strong objections, pointing out that some ministers were treating their district visits as mere “tourism.” Patel said, “Guardian ministers come for just one or two hours, which is not in the party’s interest. If they genuinely want to work for the party, they should come; otherwise, they should avoid such casual visits.”
Echoing Patel’s remarks, Pawar added that he has been keeping track of each minister’s performance and visits. “I am Deputy Chief Minister because of the party, and so are the rest of you ministers. Therefore, giving time to the party is a must. If you cannot fulfill your responsibilities as guardian ministers, then you should step aside,” he warned.
The two-day 'Chintan Shibir' in Nagpur is focused on the party’s future direction, election preparedness, and organizational expansion. Key topics include strategies for upcoming local body elections, strengthening booth-level structures, and formulating youth- and women-centric policies. Special emphasis was laid on how the NCP can consolidate its stronghold in Vidarbha, where it won six out of seven seats in the last elections, conceding only one seat due to a compromise arrangement.
Pawar underlined that this year’s workshops will focus more on action-oriented programs rather than just speeches. He also emphasized that grassroots issues gathered through group discussions will be documented and taken up officially in his role as Finance Minister.
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