'Pawar' Struggle in NCP: ECI Recognises Two Factions, Agrees for Private Hearing on October 6

Weeks after the fight between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was taken to the Election Commission of India, the poll body has now registered that there are two divisions in the Maharashtra-based party, officials aware of the matter confirmed to News18. “After all the documents that the ECI has received from the party, the commission has found that there are two factions. They have been called for a personal hearing on October 6,” an official told News18.

The fight is for the original symbol and control of the party. In July, the battle reached the ECI when rebel leader Ajit Pawar filed a petition before the poll body under the Symbols Order, 1968, along with affidavits of “40-odd MLAs/MLCs/MPs”, and also a resolution unanimously electing him as the NCP president.

In addition, party leader Jayant R Patil filed for a caveat through an email on July 3. Further, the poll body on July 3 also received a letter from Patil informing that disqualification proceedings had been filed before the competent authority for nine members of the Maharashtra assembly.

The ECI had then said that it had registered the dispute and “action will be taken by the Commission as per extant legal framework”.

Tensions between NCP founder Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar came to light in June which eventually led to the nephew’s dramatic exit from the party.

In July, Ajit Pawar joined hands with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP government as he took oath as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

Based on a resolution “signed by an overwhelming majority of members of NCP” on June 30, Ajit Pawar claimed that he was the president of the NCP.

Currently, Sharad Pawar is the NCP president and his daughter Supriya Sule is the working president.

This week, the X account of the NCP belonging to the Ajit Pawar faction was suspended following complaints from the leaders of the Sharad Pawar camp.

The account, “NCP Speaks 1”, served as the platform for Ajit Pawar’s group to share important party announcements and updates related to its leaders.