After losing the iconic ‘clock’ symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to the Ajit Pawar-led rebel NCP faction, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) launched its new symbol of a ‘man blowing tura (trumpet)’ in the presence of party chief Sharad Pawar at Raigad fort on Saturday.
Mr. Pawar, along with leaders from his faction, including Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, MP Amol Kolhe and Jitendra Awhad, among others, paid obeisance to the statue of the 17th century warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Mr. Pawar sought the support of party workers in winning the upcoming Lok Sabha election to install a government that worked for the common man. “The trumpet will bring happiness to the people. To establish a people’s government, we need to struggle and hence we have to strengthen the trumpet symbol. It is an inspiration to launch a new struggle for people’s welfare and a government which works for their upliftment,” he said.
State NCP chief Jayant Patil said the trumpet was a symbol of bravery, victory, and an inspiration to fight. “We are seeking the blessings from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from the fort where his coronation was performed, where he spent the last years of his life, and where his samadhi is situated,” Mr. Patil said.
After the symbol was allotted to the Sharad Pawar faction, the party said in a post on social media platform X: “The Tutari (trumpet in Marathi) in the form of great valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had once deafened the emperor of Delhi. It is a great honour for our party to get the Tutari as our symbol for upcoming elections. Our Tutari is now ready to shake Delhi’s throne under the leadership of Sharadchandra Pawar.”
The ceremony drew a great deal of drollery from the ruling BJP, with Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis quipping that he was happy Mr. Sharad Pawar was visiting Raigadh fort after decades.
“I am very happy Mr. Pawar is visiting Raigad fort after 40 years. Whatever he may say, the credit for this goes to Ajit Pawar,” Mr. Fadnavis said, hinting that if Mr. Ajit Pawar had not rebelled and split the party, Pawar senior would never have to go through all this.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray also mocked the ceremony, and Mr. Pawar. “In all these years, Sharad Pawar has never talked of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Now, all of a sudden, he remembers the Maratha warrior king and goes to Raigad,” Mr. Raj Thackeray said.
