Do not entertain Ajit group’s plea, NCP led by Sharad Pawar tells EC

Ajit rebelled against his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on July 2 and joined the state government along with the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, along with eight others. In a claim made with the ECI, the Ajit group said that on June 30, he was chosen as the party president and the party name as well as its election symbol — watch, belongs to his side now.

The Sharad Pawar group, which sought extension from the ECI to submit its reply, claimed that there is no split in the party. “Legally, we have established that they have no case at all and haven’t even been able to show any dispute on the date of filing, thus, their claim does not even deserve to be entertained,” it said.

It added that if the same is allowed, any NCP member can any day file a frivolous petition and claim to be the party president. “He declared himself to be the national president and informed the ECI, then on a later date after having defected and removed from party, claimed to have conducted a national convention to approve his self-election, (which is) laughable, completely illegal, unrecognised and (is) in disregard of the party constitution,” the reply said.

It has mentioned that Ajit Pawar himself was one of those who had nominated Sharad Pawar for election of party president held as per the party constitution, and was present in Delhi when Sharad Pawar was elected unopposed in September 2022. “He is now contending his post only to cover up his disqualification and violation of anti-defection law,” it said, adding that in a press conference on July 3, he had said that Sharad Pawar is the president of the party which was a day after defection.

The response has also used the Supreme Court judgment on the row between the Shiv Sena saying it has settled the law against such “anti-democratic activities” and the party has filed disqualification petitions against those who have indulged in anti-party activities.

The disqualification petitions have been filed by the NCP against 41 MLAs who are with Ajit group. “The MLAs are worried as they were initially promised that even Sharad Pawar will join the government along with Ajit. Now that Sharad Pawar has proven it wrong, the MLAs are rethinking about the decision, especially on the background of INDIA front’s victories in bypolls, especially on Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh,” a senior NCP MLA who is with Sharad Pawar said.