Sharad Pawar Group employees condemn EC ruling on Real NCP; says people will give befitting reply

Supporters of Nationalist Congress party founder Sharad Pawar on Wednesday condemned the Election Commission’s decision to wear a black ribbon in Pune and nearby areas, recognizing the Ajit Pawar faction as the genuine Congress party.

Sharad Pawar was stunned when the Election Commission on Tuesday recognized the camp led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as the genuine National Communist Party and assigned it a party name and emblem. Sharad Pawar suffered a setback.

Senior Pawar’s supporters rallied behind him and claimed that for them Sharad Pawar means party and symbol.

They also said that everyone in the state knows who the NCP actually belongs to.

“This is not the first time Sharad Pawar Saheb has faced this situation but it is sad that someone in the family has split the party. I am sure the people of Maharashtra will give a befitting reply ,” said a woman supporter in Pimpri Chinchewad, an industrial and automotive hub near the city of Pune. “We condemn the ECI’s decision by wearing black ribbons and black clothes,” she said. Another supporter said yesterday was a black day.

“It is unconstitutional to hand over a party founded by Pawar Saheb to another faction. Pawar Saheb gave a big portfolio to Ajit Pawar but he did it with the help of the BJP A conspiracy was hatched to get rid of him,” said a party worker. In Pune too, party members of Sharad Pawar’s organization also protested wearing black ribbons.

NCP (Sharad Pawar Group) city unit president Prashant Jagtap said they will go for someone with a new name and logo. “The snatching of the party by other factions will not affect Pawar Saheb as more and more people will come forward to support him,” he said.

In Solapur, workers of Sharad Pawar group condemned the EC’s decision and said the people of the state will not remain silent and will respond strongly to this act.

Meanwhile, NCP (Ajit Pawar’s faction) party members celebrated the Election Commission’s decision by distributing sweets and firecrackers in Pune and Baramati, the pocket ward of Pawars, on Tuesday night.

The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, split in July last year after his nephew and senior leader Ajit Pawar joined the party’s eight MLAs Government led by Eknath Shinde.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)