A working committee meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Sharad Pawar on Thursday ratified the expulsion of all the rebel leaders including Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, who had joined the ruling NDA in Maharashtra, resulting in a vertical split in the NCP.
"Today's meeting helped boost our morale...I am the president of NCP," Pawar said while addressing the media after the meeting. He added that whatever they need to say, they will say it before the Election Commission of India.
According to reports, Pawar has sent a letter to the poll commission, questioning why he was not informed about his nephew Ajit Pawar staking claim for the party symbol. The commission was expected to inform him about Ajit's petition in view of the caveat he filed, he said.
Reacting to Ajit's remarks on his age, the 82-year-old leader said his effectiveness remains unchanged. "I am still effective, whether I am 82 or 92," he said.
Ajit on Wednesday had taken a veiled dig at Pawar's age and said it is time for the veteran leader to retire from politics. His comment had stirred discontent among party members and loyalists, triggering a series of reactions.
'All state committees with Pawar'
Senior NCP leader P.C. Chacko, who attended the working committee meeting, said the party organisation is still intact and that all the 27 state committees are with Sharad Pawar.
"NCP Working Committee approves decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine who joined hands with NDA. Sharad Pawar was elected national president. We don't take seriously claims of someone being national president,” he said.
“MLAs alone do not decide party's majority,” Chacko added.
Eight resolutions were passed at the working committee meeting, which included a stand against the undemocratic and unconstitutional actions of the BJP government and the misuse of government agencies against the Opposition.
It also condemned the central government policies resulting in spiralling inflation, unemployment and women's plight.
The Ajit Pawar faction, meanwhile, retorted, saying the meeting held in Delhi has no “legal sanctity” since the dispute between the two factions is still pending before the Election Commission.
"No person within the party has any authority to call for any meeting of the National Executive/National Working Committee/ National Office Bearers / State Party Presidents till such time the dispute is finally decided by the ECI,” it said in a statement.
The statement further claimed that Ajit Pawar had been elected the party national president on June 30 with an overwhelming support of the majority of elected representatives of NCP as well as the members working on different organizational posts.