Mumbai, Feb. 14 -- Ahead of the upcoming local and civic body elections in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday formed a seven-member core group to focus on strengthening the party organisation, implementing various policies and making government welfare decisions across the state.

The core group comprises party national president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, working president Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, former ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Dillip Walsepatil, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif and Food and Civil Supply Minister Dhananjay Munde.

The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party was a faction of the erstwhile united Nationalist Congress Party that was led primarily...