No split in NCP, Sharad Pawar's meeting unofficial, says Praful Patel

NCP leader Praful Patel on Friday (July 7) clarified that the party had not experienced a split and insisted that Ajit Pawar was unanimously appointed as the party president by its legislature and organisational wings on June 30.

Addressing a press conference here, Patel said they had submitted a petition to the Election Commission of India (ECI) with affidavits of more than 40 MLAs, informing it about Ajit Pawar’s appointment and staking claim over the “party name and symbol”.

The meeting of the national working committee of the NCP held by Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Thursday (July 6) was not official, he claimed.

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The organisational structure of the party was completely “flawed,” Patel, a veteran NCP leader, said.

“An important meeting was held on June 30 at ‘Devgiri’ (Ajit Pawar’s official residence in Mumbai) where legislators, office-bearers and party workers were present. They unanimously appointed Ajit Pawar as their leader,” he said.

Immediately after the appointment, Ajit Pawar conveyed to the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar that Praful Patel has been appointed as national working president, Patel said.

Ajit Pawar himself was appointed as leader of the NCP legislature party, Anil Patel continued to be the party whip in Assembly and the Legislative Council chairperson was informed that Amol Mitkari was appointed as whip in the Council, he said.

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“Who will determine (which is) the (real) political party? It is in the domain of the Election Commission of India while actions of the legislators is the domain of the Speaker,” Patel said.

Jayant Patil (who took action against Ajit Pawar faction leaders after they joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra on July 2) was not the party president as per its constitution, and his petition to Maharashtra Speaker seeking to disqualify rebel leaders was invalid, Patel asserted.

The decisions taken by the Sharad Pawar group, expelling or disqualifying leaders of the Ajit Pawar faction, were illegal and not applicable, he said.

(With agency inputs)