Tensions within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have flared as senior leader Praful Patel claimed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) would provide its decision on the party’s name and symbol by September 30. However, his statement has sparked controversy, with party MP Supriya Sule, aligned with the Sharad Pawar faction, questioning the source of Patel’s information.
Supriya Sule expressed her concerns, stating, “I have full faith in the EC, but I started feeling uneasy since Praful Patel started giving all the dates… EC is an independent authority then who is giving dates to Praful Patel?”
Praful Patel responded to the queries surrounding his statement, clarifying that he had merely speculated about the possible date. “Since they (Sharad Pawar led NCP) have been asked to file their submissions by September 8, I speculated that the hearings would be completed within a couple of weeks and the verdict would be out by September 30. It was mere speculation, nothing else,” Patel stated, as reported by The Times of India.
Meanwhile, Patel emphasized that key appointments made prior to June 30 were not in accordance with the Nationalist Congress Party’s constitution. He argued that the Election Commission should decide which faction represents the party based on electoral majority.
The NCP experienced a split on July 2 when Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government. Since then, both the Ajit Pawar faction and the group led by party founder Sharad Pawar have asserted their legitimacy as the true representatives of the party, each claiming to have the majority of MLAs.
Praful Patel elaborated on this issue, stating, “We have 43 MLAs in Maharashtra supporting us as well as six out of nine MLCs. While we believe in the principle of majority, it should be noted that the party can function only within the parameters of its own constitution. We never had our internal elections as per the constitution of the party, so all the appointments prior to June 30 are unconstitutional.”
He continued, “Therefore, the only test based on which the Election Commission (of India) can decide (to whom the party, name, symbol belongs) is by the number of elected representatives.”
The ongoing dispute within the NCP highlights the complexity of party factionalism and the intricacies of determining party legitimacy. As the Election Commission of India evaluates the competing claims, it remains to be seen which faction will ultimately secure the party name and symbol, crucial elements in the world of Indian politics. The feud also underscores the importance of adherence to a party’s constitution and the need for internal democratic processes in political organizations.
