Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said he would accept the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision on ownership of the party’s name and election symbol. Presently the rival NCP factions are squabbling over who has the right to use it.
The ECI has called both the Sharad Pawar-led faction and the rebel group led by Ajit Pawar for a hearing on October 6.
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“The ECI will give the final decision on this matter and I will accept it,” said Ajit Pawar.
Rumours of dissent
Speaking in Pune, he refuted rumours about his ‘conspicuous’ absence during Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah’s Mumbai tour, stating that he had pre-planned programmes in Baramati, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune at the time of Mr. Shah’s visit.
“My programme was fixed for September 23, 24 and 25. Amit bhai was in Mumbai on 23 for the Ganesha festivities. I had conveyed to his office that I already had pre-scheduled programmes. He told me that it was all right even if I could not make it to Mumbai,” Mr. Pawar said.
Mr. Ajit Pawar quashed rumours of him being the next CM and also denied speculation about the possible disqualification of CM Eknath Shinde.
“These rumours are baseless. They have been floating for several months now. I do not even think of all this. I am only concerned with the State’s development,” he said.
Recently, during a programme in Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Deputy CM, who also holds the Finance portfolio, had said he could not be sure whether he would retain it in the near future or not, triggering speculation about a rift between Mr. Pawar and the BJP or an administrative reshuffle.
No reshuffle
However, Ajit Pawar denied reports of a reshuffle, remarking: “There is no truth in this news.”
The struggle for supremacy within the NCP started on July 2, when Mr. Ajit Pawar split the NCP by joining the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government.
The day after the rebellion, the Sharad Pawar group had moved a disqualification petition against the nine MLAs who were sworn in as ministers. The faction led by Mr. Ajit Pawar staked claim to the party name and symbol before the Election Commission.
Since then, the Sharad Pawar camp has filed petitions to disqualify the rebel legislators from the Maharashtra Legislative Council as well, while the Ajit Pawar-led faction has filed counter-petitions seeking disqualification of the MLAs loyal to the Sharad Pawar group from the Assembly.
