No issues within NCP before June, says Sharad Pawar camp

Mumbai: The Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party has argued before the Election Commission of India that the latter has no jurisdiction to decide on whether there is a split in the party and which of the factions are supposed to be allotted the NCP party name and symbol.

The faction has also claimed that Ajit Pawar had no role in establishing the party. According to the arguments advanced by Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Devdutt Kamat, the Ajit Pawar-led faction had never raised any issue about the leadership of Sharad Pawar or his election as the party president.

Significantly, the lawyers for the Sharad Pawar faction argued before the EC that it was Sharad Pawar who had not just founded the party but had worked as party president and ensured that the NCP became a full-fledged party. "Ajit Pawar had no role in the party or had any role in establishing the party," Kamat claimed, adding that Ajit was trying to take over the party and as part of the conspiracy had joined hands with Praful Patel.


Midway through the hearing,Abhishek Manu Singhvi speaking to reporters elaborated on the issue of why the ECI does not have the jurisdiction on the issue. "It is clear through several precedents and the ECs own ruling that there should be a pre-existing dispute on the issue of who has the party. The dispute has come after June 30 when Ajit Pawar approached the ECI, there was no dispute before then," said Singhvi.

He added that they had argued that till June 30, the Ajit Pawar faction had also not raised any queries on the leadership .

"There are very weird things happening, the party was formed and established by one person (Sharad Pawar), over these years he has been the party president and not once has any allegation been made against him or any questions on his election. However, now after June 30 questions are being raised on his election,"said Singhvi.

The latter pointed out that they had informed the EC that the motion to elect Sharad Pawar as the party president was proposed by Praful Patel and also signed by Ajit Pawar themselves and hence the questions raised had no substance.

The hearings have now been adjourned to Monday. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar is also going to seek the EC's directions to first rule on 'fake' affidavits submitted by the Ajit faction.

The Pawar group has argued that several of the affidavits purportedly of NCP party functionaries expressing support to Ajit are actually in the name of dead people and even minor children.