Amid growing unrest within Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance, Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) was hit by an unexpected jolt on Thursday as Salil Deshmukh — son of former state home minister Anil Deshmukh — abruptly resigned from the party.

Although Salil Deshmukh cited “health concerns” in his resignation letter, political insiders say the move stems from a deepening family dispute over ticket distribution for the upcoming Katol Municipal Council elections. According to sources, tensions escalated sharply within the Deshmukh household after Anil Deshmukh pushed for the inclusion of Rahul Deshmukh — who has consistently contested against NCP(SP) — into the Maha Vikas Aghadi fold, even recommending him for the council president post.

This decision reportedly angered Salil Deshmukh, who objected to rewarding a repeated opponent of the party. His sudden exit has set off intense conversations across Maharashtra’s political circles, adding yet another layer of friction to an already volatile pre-election atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the Mahayuti government continues to face internal turbulence. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday to flag concerns about “internal sabotage” by certain alliance leaders ahead of the local body polls. Shinde reportedly warned Shah that such disruptions could slow the ruling coalition’s momentum and give the Opposition an edge.

The meeting came shortly after ministers from Shinde’s own Shiv Sena boycotted a cabinet meeting led by Devendra Fadnavis, accusing the BJP of attempting to poach their leaders. Only Shinde himself attended the meeting, signalling a visible crack within the alliance.