The Sharad Pawar faction on Tuesday decried the Election Commission’s decision to recognise Ajit Pawar faction as the ‘real’ Nationalist Congress Party, labelling it as a “murder of democracy” influenced by an “Adrishya Shakti” (invisible power), whereas the junior Pawar, expressed “humility” in accepting the poll panel’s ruling.
The party workers were with Mr. Sharad Pawar, and they would move the Supreme Court to challenge the poll panel’s ruling, said Baramati MP Supriya Sule, the 83-year-old patriarch’s daughter.
In a subtle jab at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, she attributed the victory of her cousin’s faction to an “Adrishya Shakti” (invisible power), stating that credit should be given to it. “The ‘Adrishya Shakti’ (Invisible power) is the reason behind the EC’s ruling granting the NCP name and symbol to Mr. Ajit Pawar, and we must give full credit to it,” she said.
“The ‘tod-mod’ politics that is going on in this country is beyond the Constitution. What is happening is not good for democracy… ‘ICE’ (Income Tax, CBI, ED) is being used by this government to cause a rift in parties and break apart families. This is an ongoing trend in this country. This will have to be fought against,” the four-time MP said.
“We are doing two things. First, we are going to the Supreme Court in the next 48 hours, and second, the ECI has given us the option to submit three names and three symbols to it by tomorrow evening,” Ms. Sule said, adding that they had anticipated the verdict.
The ECI, which ended the ruling after months of speculation over the factional fight between Mr. Ajit Pawar and party founder and his uncle Mr. Sharad Pawar, also allotted the NCP’s ‘wall clock’ symbol to the group led by Mr. Ajit Pawar.
On February 17, 2023, the poll panel recognised the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordered the allocation of the “bow and arrow” poll symbol to it. Both, Mr. Shinde and Mr. Ajit Pawar are part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
“What was done with Shiv Sena earlier is happening with us now. It is not a new order. Only the name has changed but the content is the same. It is based on the legislative strength of the party, but not organisational,” the Baramati MP said in Delhi.
‘Priority for majority’
On the other hand, Mr. Ajit Pawar said that he accepted the decision with humility. “In a democracy, priority is given to the majority which is why the poll commission has allotted the party name and symbol to us. As many as 50 MLAs are with us. Also, most of the district presidents in the State, chiefs of the party cells (frontal organisations) are also backing us,” he said.
When asked about Mr. Sharad Pawar’s decision to challenge the ruling in the apex court, the Deputy Chief Minister said everyone had the right to do so.
Welcoming the ruling, former Union Minister Praful Patel said that it proved that the majority of the party workers and elected representatives were with Mr. Ajit Pawar.
“We live in a democracy and any decision can be challenged. Maybe attempts will be made to challenge this at the Supreme Court or High Court... All I would like to say is that the decision we made was correct and through EC, our decision has been proven correct,” he said, adding that the ruling came as a boon to their faction ahead of the Lok Sabha election as people also voted by looking at the party symbol.
Chief Minister Shinde, and senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis congratulated their alliance partner and cabinet colleague Mr. Ajit Pawar. “Majorty plays a key role in the democracy, and today’s decision is based on merit and majority,” Mr. Shinde said.
