At EC hearing, Ajit says 42 MLAs support him

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday met the two factions of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar over their claims to the party name and poll symbol. NCP founder Sharad Pawar was present at the personal hearing of the rival factions called by the EC, which decided to continue the proceedings on October 9.
Ajit Pawar, who had moved the EC staking claim to the party name and poll symbol, submitted that he had the support of 42 of the 53 NCP MLAs in Maharashtra and six of the nine MLCs, all seven MLAs in Nagaland, and one member each in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
At the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared before the poll panel on behalf of Sharad Pawar. Senior advocates N K Kaul and Maninder Singh were present on behalf of Ajit Pawar.
Submitting its arguments, the Ajit Pawar faction claimed overwhelming support in both the organisational and legislative wings of the party, and sought to be recognised as the real NCP.
The arguments of the Ajit Pawar faction are expected to continue on Monday.
NCP politician Jitendra Awhad accused the Ajit Pawar faction of being "ungrateful" and "rude" towards NCP founder Sharad Pawar. Awhad, who was present at the hearing, said the lawyers of the opposing faction claimed that Sharad Pawar did not follow democratic principles in the NCP and always "behaved as a dictator".
In the first part of the hearing, the Sharad Pawar camp raised preliminary objections, saying the EC is obliged to determine whether there is a dispute or not, said Singhvi. "The commission heard us but said it will not decide at this stage," he said.
He said the Ajit Pawar faction did not want the organisational test. 'They know 99% of the majority of the NCP cadre is with the man standing next to me (Sharad Pawar)," he said.
State unit president of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP Sunil Tatkare said the Sharad Pawar faction responded to allegations that an affidavit of a dead person had been submitted by the Ajit faction by saying that the information was wrong, as the affidavit pertained to the dead father of the person concerned.
State unit president of the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP Jayant Patil objected to the Ajit Pawar faction submitting that his appointment as state NCP president was illegal. "If my appointment is illegal, then what happens to the NCP candidates, including Ajit Pawar, who were elected as legislators on the authorisation form signed by us?" Patil said in a statement. Agencies & Prafulla Marpakwar