Mumbai, Feb 15 (IANS) Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Thursday ruled that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is the 'real NCP', and also said the legislators from both the NCP factions are "not disqualified".

Delivering his verdict on the disqualification petitions filed by both rival NCP factions after the party split in June 2023, the Speaker said that a majority -- 41 MLAs are with Ajit Pawar, compared with 14 with the Sharad Pawar group.

Narwekar considered the majority in the legislature as the criteria and ruled that the Ajit Pawar group had the maximum number of MLAs compared with the Sharad Pawar group, hence the former (Ajit Pawar) group was the 'real NCP'.

While the Ajit Pawar group had 41 of the total 53 MLAs, which was rejected by the Sharad Pawar side both sides claimed that the election to the party president post was not as per its Constitution, there was no challenge to Sharad Pawar's presidentship till June 29, 2023, but the next day (June 30, 2023) there were two presidents, observed the Speaker.

The Speaker said he had based his ruling on the five petitions before him he applied criteria like the NCP's constitution, leadership structure, majority in the legislature, the directions of the Supreme Court, the records of the legislature and the documents submitted by both the factions.

Since the legal criteria were not fulfilled, the two tests of party constitution and leadership structure were not applicable in this case, and accordingly it was possible to decide which is the real NCP on the criterion of the majority in the legislature, he said.

"Prior to joining the (Maharashtra) government, the Ajit Pawar faction outnumbered the Sharad Pawar faction in terms of number of MLAs and MLCs. Two parallel party presidents and structures existed before July 2, 2023 when Ajit Pawar became part of the government," said Narwekar.

The Speaker also dismissed the petitions by both factions, seeking to 'disqualify' the MLAs of each other citing various grounds.

NCP (SP) National General Secretary Jitendra Awhad slammed the Speaker's verdict, terming it a 'laughable', and said that the law has been trampled upon, and cited contradictions between the Speaker’s ruling and the recent observations by Election Commission.

NCP (SP) senior leader Eknath Khadse said that the Speaker has given a stamp of approval to the person who has the support of the higher number of legislators but all other aspects like forming the party, nurturing it, getting people elected, etc. were completely ignored.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that it is a daylight murder of democracy by the Speaker and the NCP-SP should give it a challenge.

SS-UBT MLA Aditya Thackeray said that this is an insult to all the icons of the state, people are asking whether 'democracy and constitution exist' in India or not, and warned that the people will teach the Bharatiya Janata Party a lesson in the next elections. NCP President Ajit Pawar declined to comment before reading the Speaker's verdict, while his other party colleagues including Chief Whip Anil Patil hailed the ruling.

The decision proved another huge setback to Sharad Pawar, and came days after the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the NCP party and its 'Clock' symbol to the Ajit Pawar group.

The Sharad Pawar faction, which was recently given the temporary name of 'NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar', has challenged the EC decision in the Supreme Court.

Mumbai, July 17 (IANS) Over a fortnight after dumping Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, the splinter group led by Ajit Pawar met the party patriarch on Monday with a similar plea for the second time in two days – his nod to keep the party "intact".

New Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar sprang a surprise on his uncle Sharad Pawar – making an unscheduled call on the latter on Monday afternoon, accompanied by over two dozen MLAs from his group.

Accompanied by the faction’s Working President Praful Patel, Ajit Pawar, and others suddenly trooped down to the Y. B. Chavan Centre at Nariman Point to meet Pawar Sr.

Pawar initially obliged the duo of Patel and Ajit Pawar with a separate meeting and later he also met over two dozen MLAs who had pulled the rug from under him to switch sides with his nephew’s faction since July 1.

Emerging from the meeting, Patel later told media persons that many of the MLAs who were unable to meet Sharad Pawar on Sunday clamoured to go and seek his "blessings".

“We sought Pawar Saheb’s blessings and spoke with him… We have requested him to consider measures to keep the NCP united… He gave us a very patient hearing but did not commit anything,” he said.

This comment was near-identical to his statements made after the Sunday meeting that had sent political circles into a tizzy.

Pressed for Pawar’s possible response, Patel threw up his hand to declare that “we have taken his ‘ashirwaad’ and presented our views… how can I tell you right now what’s going on in his mind”.

Incidentally, Sharad Pawar was expected to be in Bengaluru for the two-day National Opposition parties’ conclave, but he postponed his departure till Tuesday morning.

Patel’s claims apart on the second meeting in two days with a similar request to Pawar Sr., speculation was rife in political circles that it may be linked with the notices of disqualification served by the NCP on Ajit Pawar and his team of ministers who took oath on July 2.

From the Sharad Pawar side, present were state NCP President Jayant Patil, national General Secretary Dr. Jitendra Awhad and other senior leaders.

Monday’s meeting came a day after Ajit Pawar, along with his ministerial team and other leaders, paid a walk-in call to Sharad Pawar on Sunday afternoon. After the Sunday meeting, Patel told media persons that they had gone “to seek Sharad Pawar’s blessings and also make unity efforts for the splintered NCP”, but the octogenarian leader remained non-committal.

Senior Congress leader Yashomati Thakur frowned at “such meetings” while other party leaders said that these are creating confusion not only among the NCP cadres, but also in the state political circles.

NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said this was “another failed attempt” by the Ajit Pawar group to show the people of Maharashtra that they could pacify Sharad Pawar.

“It will not make any difference because a lot of water has flown under the bridge of trust… What this group (Ajit Pawar) has done cannot be rectified now,” he said.

As far as Ajit Pawar is concerned this was his third meeting in four days with Sharad Pawar and NCP Working President Supriya Sule at the latter’s home when he rushed to call on his ailing aunt Pratibha Sharad Pawar on July 14 night, justifying that ‘politics is separate, family always come first’.

Incidentally, that (July 14) was Ajit Pawar’s first meeting -- after he and his supporters had triggered a political earthquake - deserting the 83-year-old Sharad Pawar, publicly made a preposterous suggestion to become a NCP ‘marg-darshak’ (retire), and joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party regime as a second Deputy CM along with 9 ministers on July 2.

Mumbai, July 16 (IANS) In a move that jolted political circles in Maharashtra, the entire breakaway faction of the Nationalist Congress Party made a surprise visit to NCP founder-President Sharad Pawar here on Sunday afternoon.

They included Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Working President Praful Patel, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, state President Sunil Tatkare, the breakaway faction Ministers and other senior leaders.

After the meeting, Patel said they all have the highest regards for Sharad Pawar as he is their beacon and their mentor.

"We met him to seek his blessings and to work and keep the party united. He listened to us patiently but did not react," said Patel.

Sunday's impromptu 30-minute rendezvous comes two days after Ajit Pawar dropped in to meet his aunt (Sharad Pawar's wife) Pratibha Pawar, who underwent a hand surgery on Friday.

After the meeting - when he also interacted with uncle Sharad Pawar and cousin Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar justified that "politics aside, family always come first". He also said the he was heeding to a call of his conscience and rushed to meet his ailing aunt.

Sunday's meeting raised quite a few political eyebrows,coming on the eve of the 3-week-long Maharashtra legislature Monsoon Session starting here from July 17.

This was the breakaway group's first direct meeting with Pawar Sr. - two weeks after Ajit Pawar split the NCP and joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government as a second Deputy CM on July 2.

Those who were present to meet Sharad Pawar at the Y.B. Chavan Centre also included Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, Ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, and other leaders.

Nashik, July 15 (IANS) Breakaway Nationalist Congress Party leader Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar declared that “family is priority” after he visited the Mumbai residence of his uncle and NCP President Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar rushed to Pawar Sr.’s home in Silver Oaks  late on Friday, after learning that his aunt, Pratibha Sharad Pawar had undergone a surgery in her hand in a private hospital.

“Politics is separate… Family always comes first. I heeded the call of my conscience and went to enquire after the health of my aunt,” said Ajit Pawar on Saturday.

This was his first visit to Sharad Pawar 15 days after he split the NCP and joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government as a second Deputy CM, sparking great interest in political circles.

He said that he met his uncle and cousin Supriya Sule, MP from Baramati in a very cordial atmosphere, but did not elaborate.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said late Friday night that Ajit Pawar had gone to meet his family, scotching all political rumours.

It may be recalled that Pratibha Pawar underwent a surgical procedure after which her condition was ‘stable’, according to a NCP leader.

Revered as ‘Kaki’ (Aunt) by the party leaders and activists, Pratibha is the daughter of the late Indian test cricketer Sadashiv Shinde, and got married to Sharad Pawar in 1967.

However, she has always remained in the shadows though occasionally she stepped out to stand beside him, as she did in May, when her husband had quit as the NCP President.

As revealed by Pawar himself, she had successfully weaned back their nephew Ajit Pawar after he suddenly joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis in November 2019 to take oath as CM and Deputy CM respectively, but the two-men regime fell in barely 80 hours.

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Days after splitting the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Ajit Pawar-led faction on Wednesday approached the Election Commission of India, staking claim on the party and the party's clock symbol.

According to sources, Ajit Pawar, who split the NCP and took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in BJP-Eknath Shinde government, has approached the poll panel.

The source said that EC is in receipt of a petition under para 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968 by Ajit Pawar on June 30 followed by 40 odd affidavits of MPs/MLAs/MLCs dated 30th June (received in Commission on 5th July) and a resolution dated NIL unanimously electing Ajit Pawar as the President of NCP.

The source said that the Commission is also in receipt of an email dated July 3, from Jayant R. Patil, President, Maharashtra State NCP, filing caveat. Patil is from the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's camp.

The source said that the Commission is also in receipt of a letter dated July 3 from Patil informing that disqualification proceeding has been filed before the competent authority for disqualification of nine members of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

The source said that action will be taken by the Commission as per extant legal framework.

Ajit Pawar along with eight MLAs have split the party after taking oath as ministers in the Maharashtra government.

On Wednesday, both the camps of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar are holding separate meetings to show their power in the state.