Overview
- The Sharad Pawar-led NCP cancelled all state-level spokesperson appointments on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, and named former MLA Vidya Chavan and Mahesh Tapase as the only interim authorised spokespeople until further orders.
- The change affects about 22 state spokespersons but does not remove national spokespersons, a party leader told The Hindu, and no permanent replacements have been announced.
- Several former state spokespeople publicly responded to the order, with Vikas Lawande saying he accepts the decision and Anish Gawande posting a note of gratitude for his tenure and learning under Sharad Pawar.
- Party sources say the move follows a statewide organisational review led by Shashikant Shinde, who has also made recent appointments in the student, youth and teachers’ wings and plans district-level meetings from mid‑August.
- Political observers and media reports say the overhaul has prompted unconfirmed speculation about possible realignments with other NCP factions or the BJP-led Mahayuti and has heightened public tensions with the Congress after a social media row over a remark about Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar.