Party Symbol, Workers And People With US: Sharad Pawar

The party symbol, the people and the party workers who brought us to power are with us, NCP President Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday.

Addressing a meeting at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai, the senior Pawar said that his nephew Ajit Pawar who has joined hands with the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra by splitting the NCP, should have spoken to him if he had any issues.

"If he had something on his mind he could have approached me," Sharad Pawar said at the meeting of his faction's leaders in Mumbai. "We weren't taken into confidence by the MLAs who decided to split. Ajit Pawar faction has not followed any procedure," he stated.

As Ajit Pawar's faction approached the Election Commission staking claim to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the party symbol, the NCP founder said, "The party symbol is with us, it is not going anywhere. The people and party workers who brought us to power are with us."

He took a dig at the rebel NCP MLAs saying, "We don't have hunger for power".

On the other hand, Ajit held a meeting at Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra. It had the participation of 35 MLAs.

Speaking at the event, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar attacked his uncle Sharad Pawar saying he is now too aged to continue as the NCP chief.

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."

The factional war to control the Nationalist Congress Party and the party symbol has now reached the Election Commission.

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 a disqualification process against nine rebel MLAs, ANI reported citing sources.

The Ajit camp has filed over 40 affidavits of MLAs and MPs in his support with the Election Commission, which is likely to process applications in the coming days and ask both sides to exchange the respective documents submitted before it, according to a report in PTI.