Ajit Pawar gets NCP's name and symbol; Sharad Pawar given special concession to name new political formation

Ahead of the 2024 General Elections, the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday ended the long-running dispute between the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Ajit Pawar faction and the Sharad Pawar faction.

The election body gave the Ajit Pawar camp the party's name and symbol, a decision that came after more than 10 hearings of distinguished legal teams.

Further, Sharad Pawar was provided special concession to name his new political formation in view of imminent Rajya Sabha elections. The concession is to be utilised by 3 pm on February 7, 2024.


"Taking into account the significant timeline of the elections to the 6 seats of Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar faction has been given a special concession to comply with Rule 39AA of Conduct of Elections Rules 1961, which allows the authorised agents of political parties to verify as to whom an elector, who is a member of a political party has cast his vote."

"The Commission thus using its powers has provided Sharad Pawar faction, a one-time option to claim a name to its new political formation and provide three preferences to the Commission," the apex body for elections in India said.

The EC noted that the 'test of legislative majority' helped Ajit Pawar faction clinch NCP symbol in view of disputed internal organisational elections.

"The decision followed the laid-out tests of maintainability of such a petition which included tests of aims and objectives of the party constitution, test of party constitution and tests of majority both organizational and Legislative. The test of majority in the legislative wing found favour in this circumstance of the case, where both groups have found to be working outside the party constitution and the organizational elections," it noted.

"We humbly accept the decision given by the Election Commission after listening to the side presented by our lawyers!

-Ajit Pawar, National President, Nationalist Congress Party, " read a post from the official X account of the party.


Acknowledging the EC's decision, Sunil Tatkare State president (Maharashtra) of Ajit Pawar faction said, "We are happy that the decision has come in our favour, our decision has been validated legally today by the EC."

Meanwhile, Jitendra Awhad, leader from the Sharad Pawar camp found the decision to be 'surprising' but they had anticipated such an outcome from the day the senior Pawar camp's symbol was frozen.

"This was a plan by bending institutions to their will and get them to their bidding. We knew this was coming, in another few days we will see the Maharashtra Assembly speaker also give a decision in Ajit Pawar's favour," Awhad said.

"We don't know a symbol, our symbol itself is Sharad Pawar," he added.

On July 2, 2023, Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy CM along with eight other NCP legislators as cabinet ministers.

The Ajit Pawar faction had also staked claim to the party symbol, informing the Election Commission (EC) that he was elected NCP chief through a resolution dated June 30, 2023 signed by an "overwhelming majority" of members of the party, both from the legislative and