Poll panel should be embarrassed: Sharad Pawar faction on 'real NCP' verdict

Jitendra Ahwad, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s faction led by Sharad Pawar, came down heavily on the Election Commission after its decision declaring the faction led by Ajit Pawar as "real" NCP.

Awhad said that the poll panel "should be embarrassed" by its decision, adding that Ajit Pawar had "politically choked" his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar.

The Sharad Pawar faction leader stated that the Sharad Pawar faction is planning to approach the Supreme Court regarding the matter.

'SHARAD PAWAR WILL RISE AGAIN'

"This was going to happen. We already knew this. Today he (Ajit Pawar) has choked Sharad Pawar politically. Only Ajit Pawar is behind this. The only one who should be embarrassed in this is the Election Commission. Sharad Pawar is a phoenix. He will rise again from the ashes. We still have the power because we have Sharad Pawar. We will go to the Supreme Court," Jitendra Ahwad told news agency ANI.

After more than 10 hearings over the past six months, the Election Commission termed the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party as the "real" NCP, in a setback to the party founder and his uncle Sharad Pawar. With this, the symbol 'clock' was assigned to the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP.

The two have been in a factional dispute since July 2023 after Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, causing a split in the NCP.

SHARAD PAWAR'S FACTION REACTS

Reacting to the development, Sharad Pawar's daughter and NCP leader Supriya Sule said, "I think what happened with Shiv Sena is what is happening with us today. So, this is not a new order. Just the names have been changed but the content is the same."

Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction president Jayant Patil said that the poll panel's decision was "shocking", adding that they will challenge this verdict in the Supreme Court.

"This decision of Election Commission is shocking. The party is being taken away from the hands of respected Sharad Chandraji Pawar, founder and national president of NCP. As almost all the constitutional bodies of the country have lost their autonomy, it is evident that technical reasons have been put forward by giving irrational decisions," Patil said.

He added, "We will study this result in detail and comment on it. We will challenge this verdict in the Supreme Court and we are sure that the Supreme Court of the country will give us justice."

Jayant Patil also shared a photo of Sharad Pawar on social media with the caption in Marathi, "Our side, our symbol, only Sharad Pawar".

The Election Commission has provided a special concession to the Sharad Pawar faction to name his new political formation given the Rajya Sabha elections. He was given time to give three names by 4 pm on Wednesday.