After the Supreme Court rapped the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction on March 14 for continuing to use photos of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar even after the split in the party, Mr. Ajit Pawar clarified that his faction was now using pictures of late Y.B. Chavan, the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Talking to reporters in Baramati (Pune district), Mr. Ajit said that after he aligned with the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in July last year, his NCP splinter faction had initially used the name and photos of his uncle, Sharad Pawar, whose party he had split.
“But after Sharad Pawar objected, we started using photos of Maharashtra’s first CM Yashwantrao Chavan,” said Mr. Ajit Pawar, who is the State’s Deputy CM and Finance Minister.
The Supreme Court had asked the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction to provide an undertaking that it will not use party founder Sharad Pawar’s name and images on posters, while asking it to explore the option of choosing another symbol.
Election gimmick
The SC’s tone was sharp when it told the Ajit faction that it was using Sharad Pawar’s name only because elections were round the corner. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K.V. Viswanathan was hearing a petition filed by the Sharad Pawar faction challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) order on February 6 that recognised the Ajit Pawar faction as the ‘real’ Nationalist Congress Party and awarded it the clock symbol.
“You (Ajit Pawar faction) are a different political party now. So, why use his [Sharad Pawar’s] picture. Go with your own identity now… you have chosen not to be with him. It is now for you to control your workers. When the election comes you need his name and when there are no elections you do not need him. Now since you have an independent identity you must proceed with that only,” said Justice Surya Kant.
The court has sought a reply from the Ajit Pawar faction by March 16.
Eschew sentiment
Last month, the ECI had allowed Sharad Pawar’s faction to use a new name for the Rajya Sabha polls in Maharashtra. It had assigned the name ‘Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar’ to the 83-year-old leader’s faction on February 7.
Meanwhile, addressing his cadre in Baramati, Ajit Pawar again exhorted his constituents to vote for the person whom he nominated as the ruling Mahayuti’s candidate.
Ajit cautioned voters that the NCP patriarch would use sentiment to seek votes for his daughter, Supriya Sule, who is Ajit’s cousin.
“As elections come closer, you will find pressure being brought to bear upon you. While my behaviour may seem stern, that has always been for the benefit of Baramati, and not for any selfish interest,” said Ajit Pawar.
