Ahead of ECI hearing, both NCP factions engage in war of words

Both factions of the NCP are preparing arguments to support their claim as the 'real' party ahead of the fight over the party name and symbol at the ECI on October 6. One faction questions the legitimacy of the rebel faction's election of Ajit Pawar as national president, while the other faction claims to have elected Pawar in November last year. Rebel leader Praful Patel has accused the NCP of joining the BJP-led NDPP-BJP government in Nagaland. However, Pawar denies this and states that the NCP only supported the NDPP CM, Neiphiu Rio.

As the fight over the claim on the party name and symbol is about to start before the Election Commission of India (ECI) on October 6, both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have started making arguments buttressing their claim of being the ‘real’ party.

Pune, Sep 10 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar holds a roadshow, in Pune on Sunday. (ANI Photo) (ANI)

Sharad Pawar’s camp said on Tuesday that the rebel faction did not hold any meeting in which they claimed to have elected Ajit Pawar as the new national president. They have sought the name of the returning officer who conducted the presidential election.

“The other faction claimed to have elected Ajit Pawar as the new national president on June 30. I want to know when the election process started, where the meeting was called, and who the returning officer was,” Jitendra Awhad, who chose to side with Pawar, said.

In contrast, he said, they had submitted a report of the election, which was held in November last year, declaring Pawar as their leader. “Pitambaram Master was our returning officer,” Awhad told reporters while Pawar was sitting next to him.

On Tuesday, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar called a meeting of the MLAs who had shifted their loyalty to him.

Rebel leader Praful Patel on Monday claimed that NCP joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance the day they chose to support the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-BJP government in Nagaland.

However, Pawar said they extended support to the NDPP CM Neiphiu Rio and not BJP. “It is 100% false as I had decided that NCP would not join the government.”

On July 2, Ajit Pawar declared to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government along with a group of 40 MLAs and was also inducted as deputy chief minister. The same day, he declared moving ECI to stake claim on the name and symbol of NCP. Ajit appointed Patel as the new working president.