Maharashtra NCP Tussle: Senior party leader Ajit Pawar in a show of strenght on Wednesday approached the Election Commission (EC) and staked claim for the original Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and party symbol. In a show of strength earlier today, Ajit Pawar who rebelled against uncle and party patriarch Sharad Pawar, displayed the support of 35 MLAs out of total 53.
Sources have said that the Election Commission has received a petition from Ajit Pawar staking claim to Nationalist Congress Party and party symbol. The commission has also received a caveat from Jayant Patil that they have initiated disqualification process against 9 MLAs.
Meanwhile, fearing poaching, NCP leaders of the Ajit Pawar faction are being moved to Taj Lands End hotel in Bandra.
Ajit Pawar has also hit out at Sharad Pawar for portraying him as a villian in the party. In a statement, he said, "You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)...But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60...even in politics - BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi...That allows the new generation to rise...You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings... The other day, he went to YB Chavan memorial... I have also been there... but you are 83, aren't you going to stop?... Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life."
As the factional fight in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) reached the doorstep of the Election Commission, the Sharad Pawar-led group also filed a caveat through email on July 3 -- a day after the rebellion became public with the swearing-in of Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister and eight other MLAs as ministers in the BJP-Shiv Sena government.
The sources said the poll panel will take action on petitions and cross-petitions "as per extant legal framework".
The ECI received Ajit Pawar's petition on June 30 under para 15 of the Election Symbols Order, which deals with claim by splinter groups and rival factions of recognised parties on the party name and symbol, the sources added.
This was followed by 40 affidavits of MPs, MLAs, MLCs dated June 30, received by the ECI on July 5, and an undated resolution "unanimously" electing Ajit Pawar as president of NCP.
While the list submitted by the Ajit Pawar faction comprised MPs, MLAs and MLCs, the actual number of MLAs present at the show of strength at MET College was 32, four short of the two-thirds strength of 36.
The sources said the ECI also received an email dated July 3 from Maharashtra NCP president Jayant R Patil filing a caveat urging the poll panel to hear them (Sharad Pawar group) first before passing any directive in connection with the factional fight.
The ECI also received a letter, dated July 3, from Patil informing the panel that disqualification proceeding has been filed with the competent authority against nine MLAs of NCP, including Ajit Pawar.
The Election Commission is likely to process applications in the coming days and ask both the sides to exchange the respective documents submitted before it.
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