Editor's Pick: NCP’s Delhi meeting ‘expels’ Ajit Pawar, 11 others from party

Taking action against rebel nephew Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar expelled him, former aide Praful Patel and ten other rebel MLAs at the party’s executive meeting held in Delhi. In response, Mr. Ajit Pawar declared that the Delhi meeting had no “legal sanctity” as the question of who represents the “real NCP” is now under the Election Commission’s jurisdiction. Mr. Sharad Pawar rejected his nephew’s assertion. “I am the president of NCP, if someone says [that he is the president], then it is completely false, there’s no truth in it. There’s no importance if someone says something,” he said. Mr. Ajit Pawar was not mentioned even once during the half-hour press interaction, neither by Mr. Sharad Pawar, who walked into the press conference midway through, nor by the party’s Kerala unit president P.C. Chacko, who opened the meet. Countering his nephew’s jibe that he is holding on to power even at an advanced age, the NCP patriarch said, “The question to stop does not arise. I am working effectively, no matter whether I am 82 or 92”. Waving off his nephew’s claim to the support of two-thirds of the party, Mr. Sharad Pawar said, “We shall see what is the truth when the time comes and who holds the two-thirds majority.” Seemingly confirming the statements made by Mr. Patel that he had ignored their pleas to align with the BJP, Mr. Pawar said, “In 2019, some leaders had come to me, bringing me a letter detailing what should be party’s future strategy and who should we go with. I told them that it will be deliberated at the party meeting”. Mr. Sharad Pawar has written to the Election Commission, questioning why he was not informed about his nephew staking claim for the party symbol. The commission, he said, was expected to inform him about his nephew’s petition in view of the caveat he filed. Meanwhile, Mr. Ajit Pawar’s faction has also submitted a petition to the Election Commission, asserting that Mr. Ajit Pawar represents the legitimate NCP and should be granted the party’s name and symbol. The 63-year-old Deputy CM rebelled against his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, joining the BJP-Shiv Sena government headed by Eknath Shinde on Sunday, taking oath with eight other MLAs as ministers. Mr. Ajit Pawar claims the support of over 30 of the 53 NCP MLAs. The Hindu’s Editorials Momentum softens: On S&P Global’s survey Limits of expansion: On the controversy over the Open Market Sale Scheme The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz In which year did India become a full SCO member? 2017 2010 2007 2001 To know the answer and play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 07 July 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( NCP’s Delhi meeting ‘expels’ Ajit Pawar, 11 others from party Taking action against rebel nephew [Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar expelled him]( former aide Praful Patel and ten other rebel MLAs at the party’s executive meeting held in Delhi. In response, Mr. Ajit Pawar declared that the Delhi meeting had no “legal sanctity” as the question of who represents the “real NCP” is now under the Election Commission’s jurisdiction. Mr. Sharad Pawar rejected his nephew’s assertion. “I am the president of NCP, if someone says [that he is the president], then it is completely false, there’s no truth in it. There’s no importance if someone says something,” he said. Mr. Ajit Pawar was not mentioned even once during the half-hour press interaction, neither by Mr. Sharad Pawar, who walked into the press conference midway through, nor by the party’s Kerala unit president P.C. Chacko, who opened the meet. Countering his nephew’s jibe that he is holding on to power even at an advanced age, the NCP patriarch said, “The question to stop does not arise. I am working effectively, no matter whether I am 82 or 92”. Waving off his nephew’s claim to the support of two-thirds of the party, Mr. Sharad Pawar said, “We shall see what is the truth when the time comes and who holds the two-thirds majority.” Seemingly confirming the statements made by Mr. Patel that he had ignored their pleas to align with the BJP, Mr. Pawar said, “In 2019, some leaders had come to me, bringing me a letter detailing what should be party’s future strategy and who should we go with. I told them that it will be deliberated at the party meeting”. Mr. Sharad Pawar has written to the Election Commission, questioning why he was not informed about his nephew staking claim for the party symbol. The commission, he said, was expected to inform him about his nephew’s petition in view of the caveat he filed. Meanwhile, Mr. Ajit Pawar’s faction has also submitted a petition to the Election Commission, asserting that Mr. Ajit Pawar represents the legitimate NCP and should be granted the party’s name and symbol. The 63-year-old Deputy CM rebelled against his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, joining the BJP-Shiv Sena government headed by Eknath Shinde on Sunday, taking oath with eight other MLAs as ministers. 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