Ajit Pawar-led faction recognised as 'real' NCP; Maha Dy CM may stake claim over party HQ
NCP crisis: The two strongmen of Maratha politics had been at loggerheads since July 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra.
- Feb 7, 2024,
- Updated Feb 7, 2024 8:16 AM IST
In a setback to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder and Maharashtra politics veteran Sharad Pawar, the Election Commission on Tuesday declared the faction of the party led by Ajit Pawar, Pawar's nephew and the state's deputy Chief Minister, as the "real" NCP.
The two strongmen of Maratha politics had been at loggerheads since July 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar's rebellion caused a split in the Nationalist Congress Party.
Following this, both the factions staked claim to the party name and symbol before the Election Commission. The election watchdog ruled in favour of Ajit Pawar's faction, while declaring it the "real" NCP and allotting the 'Wall Clock' symbol to it.
Not only this, the poll panel also provided special concession to the Sharad Pawar-led faction to name its new political formation given the Rajya Sabha elections on February 27. The faction was given time till 4 pm on Wednesday to come up with a name for the new political formation.
But what helped the Ajit Pawar-led faction? The poll panel explained the decision to allot the party name and symbol to the faction was made after testing the aims and objectives of the party constitution as well as the majority of organisational and legislative strength.
"The test of majority in the legislative wing found favour in this circumstance of the case, where both groups have found to be working outside the party constitution and the organisational elections," the Election Commission noted.
Ajit Pawar's likely next move
Maharashtra Deputy CM is planning to address a meeting with the ministers of NCP and some MLAs at his official residence. Not only this, Pawar is also likely to stake claim over the NCP headquarters after the Election Commission's verdict, India Today TV reported citing sources.
Sources said that his faction will likely convey their demand officially so the party office can be given to them legally. The party office has been given by the government to the Nationalist Congress Party and is not from the party's welfare funds.
Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jitendra Ahwad's reactions
Commenting on the verdict, Ajit Pawar said on his official social media account: "We humbly accept the decision given by the Election Commission after listening to the side presented by our lawyers."
He further said that the 50 MLAs with him approached the EC "to seek justice" and all of them are thankful for the decision.
While Pawar was elated at the ECI's decision, NCP MP Supriya Sule on Tuesday called the decision to recognise the Ajit Pawar faction as the real Nationalist Congress Party a 'victory of invisible power' and a conspiracy against Maharashtra and Marathi people.
Sule suggested the decision mirrored the ECI's ruling in the Shiv Sena (undivided) case, where the Eknath Shinde-led group was acknowledged as the real Sena after he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022. She alleged a similar conspiracy against her father, Sharad Pawar, founder of NCP, as per news agency PTI.
Jayant Patil, Maharashtra NCP president (Sharad Pawar group), stated they will challenge the ECI decision in the Supreme Court.
Sharad Pawar loyalist and former minister Jitendra Awhad claimed the ECI decision was 'managed' from the top and labelled the exercise a 'circus'. He criticised Ajit Pawar and his supporters, accusing them of trying to 'politically strangle' Sharad Pawar.
(With India Today, PTI inputs)
Also Read: Setback for Sharad Pawar: Ajit Pawar's faction is 'real' Nationalist Congress Party, declares EC
In a setback to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder and Maharashtra politics veteran Sharad Pawar, the Election Commission on Tuesday declared the faction of the party led by Ajit Pawar, Pawar's nephew and the state's deputy Chief Minister, as the "real" NCP.
The two strongmen of Maratha politics had been at loggerheads since July 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar's rebellion caused a split in the Nationalist Congress Party.
Following this, both the factions staked claim to the party name and symbol before the Election Commission. The election watchdog ruled in favour of Ajit Pawar's faction, while declaring it the "real" NCP and allotting the 'Wall Clock' symbol to it.
Not only this, the poll panel also provided special concession to the Sharad Pawar-led faction to name its new political formation given the Rajya Sabha elections on February 27. The faction was given time till 4 pm on Wednesday to come up with a name for the new political formation.
But what helped the Ajit Pawar-led faction? The poll panel explained the decision to allot the party name and symbol to the faction was made after testing the aims and objectives of the party constitution as well as the majority of organisational and legislative strength.
"The test of majority in the legislative wing found favour in this circumstance of the case, where both groups have found to be working outside the party constitution and the organisational elections," the Election Commission noted.
Ajit Pawar's likely next move
Maharashtra Deputy CM is planning to address a meeting with the ministers of NCP and some MLAs at his official residence. Not only this, Pawar is also likely to stake claim over the NCP headquarters after the Election Commission's verdict, India Today TV reported citing sources.
Sources said that his faction will likely convey their demand officially so the party office can be given to them legally. The party office has been given by the government to the Nationalist Congress Party and is not from the party's welfare funds.
Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jitendra Ahwad's reactions
Commenting on the verdict, Ajit Pawar said on his official social media account: "We humbly accept the decision given by the Election Commission after listening to the side presented by our lawyers."
He further said that the 50 MLAs with him approached the EC "to seek justice" and all of them are thankful for the decision.
While Pawar was elated at the ECI's decision, NCP MP Supriya Sule on Tuesday called the decision to recognise the Ajit Pawar faction as the real Nationalist Congress Party a 'victory of invisible power' and a conspiracy against Maharashtra and Marathi people.
Sule suggested the decision mirrored the ECI's ruling in the Shiv Sena (undivided) case, where the Eknath Shinde-led group was acknowledged as the real Sena after he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022. She alleged a similar conspiracy against her father, Sharad Pawar, founder of NCP, as per news agency PTI.
Jayant Patil, Maharashtra NCP president (Sharad Pawar group), stated they will challenge the ECI decision in the Supreme Court.
Sharad Pawar loyalist and former minister Jitendra Awhad claimed the ECI decision was 'managed' from the top and labelled the exercise a 'circus'. He criticised Ajit Pawar and his supporters, accusing them of trying to 'politically strangle' Sharad Pawar.
(With India Today, PTI inputs)
Also Read: Setback for Sharad Pawar: Ajit Pawar's faction is 'real' Nationalist Congress Party, declares EC