Mumbai: The Election Fee of India Tuesday recognised the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Social gathering because the official social gathering and granted it the social gathering’s “clock” image.
The choice, which comes almost a yr after the election physique recognised Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena because the official Shiv Sena, offers a serious blow to the Sharad Pawar faction.
In its order, the ECI mentioned that the “test of legislative majority” helped the Ajit Pawar faction — which rebelled and broke away from the Sharad Pawar faction in June final yr — clinch the NCP image.
“Ajit Pawar faction enjoyed majority support of legislators. (The) commission holds that Ajit Pawar is the Nationalist Congress Party and is entitled to use its name and reserved symbol of ‘clock’,” the ECI order mentioned, including that the Sharad Pawar faction can be recognised as a separate social gathering.
In keeping with the ECI, 41 MLAs from Maharashtra and 7 from Nagaland are with Ajit Pawar. Two MPs are additionally with the faction, the election physique mentioned.
For the Rajya Sabha election on 27 January, the Sharad Pawar faction can declare a brand new identify, for which they need to present three decisions, the ECI mentioned, including that the faction has till 4 pm on 7 February to file their utility, failing which the MLAs can be handled as independents.
The Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP has known as the event a “murder of democracy”.
“We all know that NCP was formed by Sharad Pawar and he was the president of the party. But this way the decision taken, because of pressure, is a murder of democracy. This is unfortunate,” Anil Deshmukh, former house minister of Maharashtra and an MLA of the Sharad Pawar faction, advised the media.
Rohit Pawar of the Sharad Pawar faction posted a photograph of the NCP founder on X with the caption: “Even if the party and symbol have been hijacked by misusing power, the father of the party is with us.”
In the meantime, NCP Ajit Pawar faction staff celebrated throughout the state by bursting crackers. Ajit Pawar mentioned, “Our lawyers put our side forward effectively and hence we accept the decision of ECI humbly.”
“We welcome the ruling of the EC…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,” mentioned Praful Patel of the Ajit Pawar faction.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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