Pawar Vs Pawar: In Big Setback For Sharad, Maha Speaker Rules Ajit-Led Faction Is 'Real' NCP

Maharashtra Speaker while pronouncing the verdict said there has been two parallel claims by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar since June 30 last year.

The Maharasha Speaker on Thursday ruled that the faction headed by Ajit Pawar is the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Speaker while pronouncing the verdict said there has been two parallel claims by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar since June 30 last year. 

"In the present matter, there is no dispute as to the relevant NCP constitution. Both the parties have placed reliance on the constitution and rules annexed as Annexure R-1 and R-2 to the reply filed by the Constitution. The said NCP constitution is taken into account for identifying the leadership structure of the NCP," Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar said in his verdict on the disqualification petitions.

The Speaker's decision was based on the factor of legislative majority. "In the present situation, the legislative majorities are undisputed," the Speaker said. Ajit Pawar had the support of 41 MLAs of the party.

Reading out the verdict on the disqualification pleas, the Maharashtra Speaker said the Supreme Court judgement was similar in the Shiv Sena case. 

Earlier this month, the Election Commission (EC) had ruled in favour of Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against his uncle and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, and handed him the party symbol. The EC also allowed the senior Pawar to have an independent identity for the upcoming Rajya Sabha.

Sharad Pawar had moved to Supreme Court challenging the EC order recognising Ajit's faction as the real NCP and handing over the official 'clock' symbol to them.  

The Supreme Court had last month granted the Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar time till 15 February to decide on the disqualification of NCP MLAs affiliated to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's group.

Earlier, the apex court granted time till January 31 in connection with the matter.

Ajit Pawar, currently a Deputy Chief Minister, had walked away with a majority of NCP MLAs in July last year and supported the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government led by Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra.

Following this, a plea was filed by Jayant Patil of the Sharad Pawar faction of the party for a direction to the speaker to decide the disqualification petitions against Ajit Pawar and MLAs loyal to him.