Ajit Pawar Claims Himself As NCP Chief After Flaunting MLAs At Meet

Newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar on Tuesday called himself as the NCP's national president.

Pawar also moved the Election Commission claiming the support of 41 MLAs and staking claim to the party name and symbol.

The Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party are holding their meetings in Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai and in Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, respectively.

As many as 32 of the 53 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs attended the meeting called by the Ajit Pawar group, while 18 MLAs were present at the conclave addressed by the NCP chief, sources in both factions said.

The Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) filed a petition with the Election Commission on July 5, claiming that a resolution was passed at a national executive meeting on June 30, replacing Sharad Pawar as NCP president and electing Ajit Pawar to the top post.

"A Resolution dated 30th June 2023 signed by overwhelming majority of members of NCP, both from the legislative and organisational wing was passed thereby electing Ajit Anantrao Pawar as the President of NCP. Praful Patel was and continues to be one of the working presidents of NCP. The NCP also decided to appoint Ajit Pawar as the leader of NCP Legislative Party in the Maharashtra Legislative assembly and the said decision was also ratified by the resolution passed by an overwhelming majority of NCP MLAs," the affidavit reads, as per ANI.

The petition also stated that the Ajit Pawar faction has the support of 42 MLAs, while the Sharad Pawar faction only has 13 MLAs.

The Election Commission has also received an e-mail from Jayant Patil, a member of the Sharad Pawar faction, who has filed a caveat with the commission. Patil has informed the commission about a proceeding for disqualification of 9 members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

The Ajit Pawar faction has been holding a series of meetings in Mumbai, and has been seen moving its MLAs to a hotel in the city. However, going by the numbers, Ajit Pawar is still short of MLAs needed to beat the anti-defection law.

The NCP has 53 MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly but 11 MLAs are not present at any meetings.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar lashed out at his nephew Ajit for going with the BJP for power, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the NCP a ''corrupt'' party. The veteran politician objected to his big photo adorning the stage at the meeting convened by the Ajit Pawar group, said those using his image are aware that they have nothing else to show.

On the Ajit Pawar-led faction approaching the Election Commission and staking claim to the party symbol, the former Union agriculture minister assured his supporters he won't allow anyone to snatch the party symbol.

"Just a few days ago, they (Ajit Pawar) derided Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saying they haven't seen such a CM in all these years, but today they have joined him," Sharad Pawar said.