'82 or 92, I'm still effective': Sharad Pawar responds to nephew Ajit's age barb

"I am the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)," Sharad Pawar said today after a meeting of the party's national executive, a day after nephew Ajit Pawar asserted himself as the leader of the party, flanked by several MLAs in a major show of strength in Mumbai.

Reacting to estranged nephew Ajit Pawar, who on Wednesday, said it was time for his uncle to retire and hand over the reins of the NCP to him, Sharad Pawar said it doesn’t matter if one is 82 or 92.

“Age doesn't matter... whether it is 82 or 92,” Sharad Pawar said after chairing a meeting of the working committee of a vertically-split Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at his Delhi home today.

Team Ajit issued a statement after the meeting and said it has “no legal sanctity” since the Election Commission is yet to rule on which faction has the right to use the NCP name and symbol.

Also Read | Poster shows Sharad Pawar as Baahubali and nephew Ajit as backstabber Kattappa

In response, Sharad Pawar said: “There is no truth in the claim. It (the meeting) was held as per the constitution of the NCP. We will approach the Election Commission. The rebellion has hurt the party. We have to move on from this and strongly move forward. Today's meeting is to encourage the members of the party.”

In a statement, Ajit Pawar’s faction said that today’s meeting has no “legal sanctity” and any decision made at the meeting has “no valid legal basis” and will not be binding on anyone in the party. It further said that no one in the party has the authority to call a meeting of the national executive committee or the national working committee until the Election Commission gives either group the right to use the party name and symbol.

“Ajit Pawar was elected as the National President of NCP on June 30 with the overwhelming support of the majority of elected representatives of the NCP as well as the members working at different organizational posts. Ajit Pawar has also filed a petition before the Election Commission of India (ECI), stating that he represents the real NCP and therefore, the name of the party along with the symbol be granted to him.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar claims he was elected NCP chief at meet, Sharad Pawar counters

“The dispute on the question of who represents the real NCP is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the ECI and therefore 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,” the statement said.

Following his shock rebellion, Ajit Pawar hasn’t minced words as he expressed his wishes to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. “If someone wants to become the chief minister, I don’t have a problem with that. I give them my best wishes,” Sharad Pawar said.

Tearing into the BJP over the latest coup in Maharashtra, Pawar Senior said: "Maharashtra will change those in power in 2024. They (the BJP) will have to pay the cost of what they have done to the opposition parties."

At today's meeting, Sharad Pawar's faction adopted a resolution and called out the undemocratic and unconstitutional action of the BJP government and its misuse of power against the opposition.

The members also expressed deep concerns over the situation in Manipur, which has been witnessing violent ethnic clashes since May 3 over the Meitei community’s demand for a Scheduled Tribes status and the Kuki community’s opposition to it.

Also Read | Want to become Maharashtra CM: Ajit Pawar at mega NCP meet against Sharad Pawar