NCP crisis: Nephew Ajit dismisses Sharad Pawar’s meet as illegal

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar claims NCP's national working committee meeting called by his uncle in Delhi was illegal; says he is the new national president.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the NCP’s national working committee meeting called by his uncle in Delhi was illegal even as the senior Pawar gave his assent to expulsion of 11 rebel MLAs.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar during a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) meeting led by him, in Mumbai, Wednesday. (PTI)

Ajit Pawar claimed that most of the party’s elected representatives had on June 30 chosen him as the new national president after which he approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) staking claim on the party and its election symbol.

“The dispute on the question of who represents the real NCP is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the ECI and therefore no person within the party has any authority to call for any meeting till such time the dispute is settled by the ECI,” a statement issued by Ajit Pawar said.

“Thus, the meeting of the national working committee has no legal sanctity whatsoever and any of the decisions, which may have been taken in the so-called meeting, shall not be binding on anyone in the party,” he added.

He was referring to an affidavit submitted to the ECI stating that a resolution electing Ajit Pawar as the NCP’s national president was signed by an “overwhelming majority” of MLAs as well as members of the organisational wing.

On Thursday, NCP heavyweight Chhagan Bhujbal, who had ditched senior Pawar camp, said they decided to rebel only after studying all the legal aspects. “When we decided to join the government, we made a thorough study, discussed the issue with legal experts. They told us that through this way there was no chance for disqualification. Only after we got convinced, we took the next step,” he said.