Sharad Pawar’s Key Meet In Delhi As Ajit Pawar Makes Dash For NCP Symbol

Mumbai:
Sharad Pawar’s ongoing national executive meet of the NCP has drawn a stinging response from his rebel nephew Ajit Pawar, whose faction said the meeting has “no legal sanctity”.

1. The dispute on who represents the real Nationalist Congress Party is “within the exclusive jurisdiction” of the Election Commission and “no person within the party has any authority to call for any meeting of the National Executive/National Working Committee/ National Office Bearers / State Party Presidents till such time the dispute is finally decided by the ECI”, read a statement from the Ajit Pawar faction.

2. Sources indicated that Pawar Senior will take legal advice and confer with party leaders about the way ahead. Leaders of the rebel faction  are also in Delhi, but away from the party office here emotive posters supporting the 83-yer-old founder of NCP has come up.

3. The Ajit Pawar faction claims they have declared him as the as the party leader on June 30 — days before his shock move of crossing over to the ruling alliance. They have informed the Election Commission, sending along with affidavits of the 40 party leaders — MPs, MLAs and MLCs — who were present on the occasion.

4. On basis of that, Ajit Pawar, who took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Sunday, has staked claim for the Nationalist Congress Party name and symbol with the poll panel.

5. But he needs 36 MLAs, a 2/3rd majority of the party’s total 53 legislators, before the Commission considers his claim. So far, he appears to have the support of 32 MLAs, who were being kept corralled at a Mumbai hotel till this morning.

6. Yesterday, several MLAs who signed up with the rebel faction had a change of heart. The signed affidavits of Ajit Pawar’s supporters have already been sent to the Election Commission.

7. The two NCP factions held separate meetings in Mumbai on Wednesday, where Ajit Pawar outplayed his uncle with only 14 of the party’s legislators attending Sharad Pawar’s meeting. Thirty-two MLAs attended the rebel meet.

8. In his speech, Ajit Pawar said he wants to be the Chief Minister and asked his uncle when he plans to retire. “In other parties, leaders retire after an age. In BJP, leaders retire at 75, when are you going to stop? You should also give new people a chance. If we make mistakes, tell us. Your age is 83, will you ever stop or not?” Ajit Pawar, 63, said.

9. The inclusion of Ajit Pawar in the ruling alliance has also generated great discomfort among the Shiv Sena MLAs supporting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Chief Minister cancelled all his appointments and called an urgent party meeting at his official residence yesterday evening.

10. Sources said the MLAs are objecting to the alliance, pointing out that Sena founder Bal Thackeray would never have associated with the Nationalist Congress Party.

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