With at least 29 MLAs backing him, Ajit fires Sharad Pawar, stakes claim to NCP symbol

Both Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar held separate meetings on Wednesday in their first show of strength since the split in the NCP on July 2. While at least 29 of the party’s 53 MLAs were at the former’s meeting and signed affidavits confirming their allegiance to him, 16 MLAs attended the latter’s meeting.

A PTI report said the poll panel on Wednesday also received about 40 affidavits dated June 30, from NCP MPs, MLAs and MLCs, expressing support for Ajit Pawar. EC sources said it also received an undated resolution claiming Ajit Pawar’s election as NCP president.

Ajit Pawar sent the petition to the EC under Para 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, which deals with the EC’s “power in relation to splinter groups or rival sections of a recognised political party”.

“No orders or directions passed by anyone in the party has any effect on any of the members of the NCP till such time the matter is decided by the EC,” said the statement by the Ajit Pawar group.

On the other hand, the Sharad Pawar camp has filed a caveat with the poll authority, urging it to hear them first before passing any directive. The email, dated July 3, was sent by the NCP’s Maharashtra president Jayant Patil. Patil also informed the EC that disqualification proceedings had been initiated against the nine MLAs who were sworn in as ministers on Sunday.

The Ajit Pawar group’s statement said the entire structure of the NCP, including the post of president, is flawed as none of the appointments have been made according to the provisions of the party constitution. “No election process for any post including that of the president has been followed,” it said.

“When faced with rival contentions as to who is the leader of the legislature party or the chief whip, the Speaker must conduct an independent enquiry based on the rules and regulations of the political party… In the present case also, there are disqualification petitions filed by both factions and rival claims of legislature party leader and whip, which is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Speaker to decide. Unless such a decision is made, no person from the party can take any action on the assumption that he is legally appointed whip of the NCP,” it said.

Meanwhile, addressing party MLAs and workers, Ajit Pawar took repeated swipes at Sharad Pawar and asked him to retire. He also staked claim to the party name and symbol, saying he enjoys the support of majority of the party MLAs. He claimed that all the NCP MLAs were in touch with him, even those attending Sharad Pawar’s meeting.

“In every profession, there is a retirement age, be it bureaucracy or politics. In BJP, the retirement age is 75, we have the examples of L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and others. The new generation is coming and you must give us your blessings. If I make some mistakes, tell me, and I will accept it, rectify it and move forward. You have crossed 83 years now, are you going to stop someday or not,” he said.

“I spoke to Supriya (Sule). I told her to convince him. But she said that he is stubborn and doesn’t listen to anyone. What kind of stubbornness is this? I have immense respect, but it should stop,” he said.

Saying that he wants to be the CM, Ajit Pawar said: “I became Deputy CM five times. It is a record… but I am stuck at Deputy CM only. I also wish to lead the state and be the CM… I can see that poverty has increased, there is rising unemployment. We need to address these issues by staying in the government. This cannot be done by staying in the Opposition.”

He asked if he was not being promoted because he is not Sharad Pawar’s son. “Why are such things being done (against me)? Why is such a picture being showcased in front of the state? What mistake did I make? Is it my mistake that I was born in someone else’s family,” he said.

He also warned his uncle not to hold rallies against him. “If you start your rallies, I will also have to take out rallies… I have spoken less today, but tomorrow, if rallies take place, then I will have to reveal everything. That situation should not arise in any family,” he said.

Responding to Sharad Pawar’s remarks on betrayal of his ideology, Ajit Pawar said that Pawar Senior had, on numerous occasions, initiated talks to join hands with the BJP. “In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, a proposal was mooted for the NCP, Shiv Sena and BJP to contest elections together, with each party contesting 16 seats. The BJP later backed out due to corruption allegations against some NCP leaders. Even after the 2014 Assembly election results, the NCP had initially offered outside support to BJP… In 2017 too, there was an attempt to go with the BJP, but the BJP was not willing to leave the Shiv Sena. The alliance failed as our leaders said we will not go with the Shiv Sena since it’s a communal party. But in 2019, we were asked to join hands with the Shiv Sena. Earlier, they said Shiv Sena is a communal party, what changed in 2019 then?” he asked.

He said it was his uncle who had asked him to join the BJP government in 2019. “Five meetings had taken place at the residence of a prominent businessman of the country. Senior BJP leaders and NCP leaders were present there. The decision was taken and I was asked to go (for swearing-in). Later, everything backtracked, and we went with Shiv Sena,” he said.

The NCP, he said, had decided to join hands with the BJP last year, but the talks did not move forward as Sharad Pawar told them not to meet BJP leaders in person. “We were told to form a committee of three, which had (Praful) Patel, Jayant Patil and me, and were asked to initiate talks with the BJP. We spoke to BJP leaders on the phone. They told us that such things are not discussed on the phone, and to come to Indore. We booked the tickets. We were then told by our leader (Sharad Pawar) that the media would come to know if we went… Till then, there was no oath-taking ceremony of (Eknath) Shinde… While all this was happening, Shindeji became CM,” he said, adding that he has a copy of a letter signed by all the party’s MLAs.

Accusing Sharad Pawar of taking different stands, he said: “Why am I always made a villain in front of people? What is my mistake?”

Ajit Pawar also questioned his uncle’s recent decision to first resign as party president, and then take back his resignation. “He told me that he wanted to resign and look after the various institutions that he has set up. He told me that he was planning to set up a committee of senior NCP leaders, including me, which should appoint Supriya Sule as party president. We accepted this proposal. However, a few days later, he withdrew his resignation. What was the point of resigning if you had planned to withdraw it later?” he asked.