NEW DELHI: In the midst of a contentious dispute between two factions within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), one led by his nephew Ajit Pawar and the other by the party’s supremo, Sharad Pawar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to adjudicate on the appeals from both sides regarding their claims to the party’s name and symbol. The outcome of this hearing could significantly impact the future direction of the NCP.
Representing the Sharad Pawar faction in this legal battle are prominent political figures, including Sharad Pawar himself, MLA Jitendra Awhad, and Members of Parliament Vandana Chavan and Abhishek Manu Singhvi. On the opposing side, Maninder Singh is appearing as legal counsel for the Ajit Pawar faction.
Central to this dispute is the question of which faction commands a majority within the NCP, with Ajit Pawar’s side claiming the support of 43 out of 53 MLAs and 6 out of 9 MLAs of the Legislative Council. The stakes are high, as the party’s future leadership hinges on the side that can demonstrate greater legislative support.
At the age of 82, Sharad Pawar, is neither tired nor retired. Despite a recent political crisis within his party, this grand old man is embarking on the task of revitalising his shrinking party, which experienced a split allegedly orchestrated by the BJP. The party has faced internal divisions and political manoeuvring, most notably when a faction led by Ajit Pawar attempted to engineer a split in the NCP with the support of the BJP.
On Friday, Sharad Pawar also held meetings with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. They discussed the future strategy for the Opposition alliance known as INDIA, which had its last gathering in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1.
This development follows shortly after Pawar expressed his reluctance to criticise industrialist Gautam Adani. He commended Adani for constructing Gujarat’s largest port, Kandla, which generated numerous employment opportunities in the state. Pawar also conveyed his willingness to support Adani if it contributes to the nation’s development.
However, during today’s gathering involving Pawar, Gandhi, and Kharge, the primary topics of discussion revolved around the forthcoming INDIA bloc meetings, their future strategic plans, and the approach these parties intend to take when campaigning in different states.
According to sources, Pawar also talked about several regional parties in Maharashtra that express interest in becoming part of the INDIA bloc. During their 40-minute meeting, the three leaders deliberated on the present political landscape and the future plans of the alliance, which aims to challenge the BJP in the forthcoming Assembly and national elections.
Later, Kharge shared images from his meeting with Pawar on microblogging site X and stated, “Today, along with Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, met NCP President Shri Sharad Pawar ji to further raise the voice of the people of the country.”
देश की जनता की आवाज़ और बुलंद करने के लिये आज, श्री @RahulGandhi जी के साथ, NCP अध्यक्ष श्री @PawarSpeaks जी से भेंट हुई।
हम हर चुनौती के लिए तैयार हैं।
जुड़ेगा भारत, जीतेगा INDIA 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/5EXuKSU6zL
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 6, 2023