MUMBAI: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party on Tuesday dissolved all existing appointments to the post of party spokesperson with immediate effect and designated former MLA Vidya Chavan and Mahesh Tapase as the only authorised spokespersons until further orders.In a statement posted on X, the party said the decision had been approved by Maharashtra unit president and former minister Shashikant Shinde.“With the approval of the party’s Provincial President and former Minister Shri Shashikant Shinde, effective immediately from today, August 4, 2026, all previous appointments to the position of party spokesperson are hereby cancelled until further orders,” the statement said.It added that during this period, “former MLA Vidya Chavan and Shri Mahesh Tapase will represent the party’s official stand before the media as the party’s authorised spokespersons.”The reshuffle comes amid heightened political activity within the party, with speculation over its future strategy and internal differences on key political issues.Former party spokesperson Vikas Lawande accepted the decision, saying he remained committed to the party and its ideology.“All spokesperson positions have been cancelled. Accordingly, I am no longer in the party’s spokesperson position from today. The party’s decision is like an order for the workers. I accept it,” Lawande said in a post on X.Thanking the leadership for the opportunity to serve as spokesperson since 2015, he said he would continue to work to strengthen the organisation and uphold its “democratic, progressive and secular ideals.”National spokesperson Anish Gawande also posted a message reflecting on his two-year tenure, expressing gratitude to Sharad Pawar and MP Supriya Sule for entrusting him with the role.The development came on a day when the Congress and the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP traded barbs over the latter’s description of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar as “Gungi Gudiya” (silent doll).
