In a crucial legal development, the Supreme Court is set to hear an urgent plea filed by veteran political leader Sharad Pawar, challenging the recent Election Commission decision recognizing the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the legitimate Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and KV Viswanathan, is slated to evaluate the petition amidst growing tensions within the NCP, triggered by the Election Commission’s endorsement of the Ajit Pawar-led faction and subsequent decisions by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
Expressing dissatisfaction with what he deemed an “unfair” ruling, Sharad Pawar announced his faction’s intention to seek redress in the Supreme Court. The legal battle intensifies as the Election Commission granted the Ajit Pawar-led faction the official “clock” symbol of the NCP on February 6.
Simultaneously, the Election Commission approved a new name for Sharad Pawar’s faction—Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar—further highlighting the deep-seated divisions within the party.
The Election Commission justified its decision based on the “test of legislative majority,” favoring the Ajit Pawar faction, which had parted ways with the Sharad Pawar group in June of the previous year.
Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker dismissed disqualification petitions from both factions, unequivocally declaring Ajit’s group as the genuine NCP.
Founded in 1999 by Sharad Pawar, along with former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar, the NCP now finds itself embroiled in a legal and ideological struggle, with the upcoming Supreme Court hearing poised to play a decisive role in shaping the party’s future. The internal dissent and power struggles underscore the critical juncture at which the Nationalist Congress Party currently stands.
