NCP vs NCP: Maha speaker says Ajit Pawar's NCP is 'real political party', Sharad Pawar's unit lacks majority

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Thursday said that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar is the real political party and the MLAs on that side cannot be disqualified from the Assembly. There are a total of 53 NCP MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly. While Ajit Pawar-led faction holds the majority with 41 MLAs, the NCP faction led by his uncle Sharad Pawar holds the support of 12 MLAs.

"I hold that Ajit Pawar-led NCP is the real political party. Ajit Pawar has the legislative majority with 41 MLAs. This is undisputed," Speaker Narwekar said.

Narwekar acknowledged the faction led by Ajit Pawar, which consists of 41 MLAs, as the true NCP during MLAs disqualification proceedings. “I hold that the Ajit Pawar faction is the real NCP,” he said. Reading out his verdict, the Maharashtra Speaker said, ''Going against the will of Sharad Pawar cannot be considered as defection by NCP MLAs.”

Earlier this month, the Election Commission of India (ECI) declared the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction as the 'real political party'. Following which, Ajit Pawar's faction got the party's name and clock symbol.

The Sharad Pawar-led faction got a new name, 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar', after the Election Commission's decision.

The Speaker further said: "None of the NCP MLAs from Sharad Pawar & Ajit Pawar faction disqualified. Speaker Rahul Narwekar says Ajit Pawar faction is real NCP with support of 41 MLAs. Sharad Pawar faction has 12 MLAs. Dissent in party doesn’t amount to defection. Desertion of leader is not desertion of party. When a tussle for leadership arises, the common party workers cannot remain onlookers and they are compelled to choose sides. The speakers office cannot be used to quell opposition."