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NCP has not split; working committee decision invalid because…: Praful Patel
Rebel leader Praful Patel dismissed the NCP working committee's decisions, claiming it lacks power due to a flawed organizational structure.
Dismissing Thursday's decisions of the NCP working committee, rebel party leader Praful Patel on Friday claimed that the committee cannot take the decision on the appointment of office bearers because of a “flawed organisational structure”. Patel argued that the working committee does not have any power since most of the office bearers have been appointed, and not elected.
“Most of the office-bearers are appointed by some or others. Our organizational structure is flawed which is against the party's constitution and thus the working committee cannot take the decision,” Patel said.
“Election did not happen in the party for the last many years and most of us are appointed and not elected. Thus going by our own NCP constitution they do not have any powers,” he claimed.
Patel also asserted that NCP has not split, calling it intra-party differences.
“SC verdict also talks about split and merger and not about intra-party differences. The SC verdict does not apply in this case,” he said.
Amid the tussle for control of the NCP after Ajit Pawar's rebellion, the Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) Working Committee expressed faith in Sharad Pawar's leadership and endorsed his decision to expel Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, both MPs, from the party after they joined the NDA ranks on Sunday.
Sharad Pawar declared he was the president of the party and dismissed suggestions that the NCP had diminished in strength after the rebellion.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Praful Patel said the party had not broken up, and Ajit Pawar was unanimously appointed as party president by its legislature and organizational wings on June 30. He said they had submitted a petition to the Election Commission of India (ECI) with affidavits of more than 40 MLAs, informing it about Ajit Pawar's appointment and staking claim over the "party name and symbol". T
"An important meeting was held on June 30 at `Devgiri' (Ajit Pawar's official residence in Mumbai) where legislators, office-bearers and party workers were present. They unanimously appointed Ajit Pawar as their leader," he said.
Ajit Pawar himself was appointed as leader of the NCP legislature party, Anil Patel continued to be the party whip in Assembly and the Legislative Council chairperson was informed that Amol Mitkari was appointed as whip in the Council, he said.
"Who will determine (which is) the (real) political party ? It is in the domain of the Election Commission of India while actions of the legislators is the domain of the Speaker," Patel said.
