Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has taken the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to recognise his nephew Ajit Pawar's faction as the authentic NCP to the Supreme Court. The move comes after the ECI's ruling on February 6, which dealt a significant blow to Sharad Pawar's leadership within the party and granted the Ajit Pawar faction control over the party symbol 'clock'.
Setback for party supremo
The ECI's decision to recognise the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the legitimate NCP supremo came as a major setback for Sharad Pawar, who has been at the helm of the party since its inception.
Renaming and symbol allocation
Following the ECI's ruling, Sharad Pawar's faction was allotted a new name: 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar'. Additionally, the faction submitted several alternative names and symbols to the ECI, including 'Sharad Pawar Congress', 'Mi Rashtrawadi', 'Sharad Swabhimani', along with symbols like 'tea cup', 'sunflower', and 'rising sun'.
Pawar's reaction
In a press conference held in Pune on Sunday, Sharad Pawar expressed his discontent with the ECI's decision, accusing the commission of "snatching" the party from its founders and handing it over to others. Pawar, who founded the NCP in 1999 after parting ways with the Congress, criticized the unprecedented move by the Election Commission.
Legal battle unfolds
Sharad Pawar's decision to challenge the ECI's ruling in the Supreme Court sets the stage for a protracted legal battle over the leadership and identity of the NCP. The outcome of this legal dispute may have significant implications for the party's future trajectory and political standing in Maharashtra and beyond.
As the legal proceedings unfold, all eyes are on the Supreme Court's deliberations and the eventual verdict on the validity of the ECI's decision regarding the NCP's leadership and symbol allocation. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as the legal battle ensues.
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