<p>The Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Thursday said the Election Commission has sent a letter seeking their response to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ajit Pawar's faction staking claim to the party name and symbol, and they will reply accordingly.</p>.<p>However, NCP leader Praful Patel, from the Ajit Pawar faction, declined to comment on the matter.</p>.<p>On July 2, Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy CM along with eight other NCP legislators as cabinet ministers.</p>.<p>The Ajit Pawar faction had also staked claim to the party symbol, informing the Election Commission (EC) that he was elected NCP chief through a resolution dated June 30, 2023 signed by an "overwhelming majority" of members of the party, both from the legislative and organisational wing.</p>.<p>The Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction's national spokesperson Clyde Crasto on Thursday said the EC has sent a letter seeking their response on the Ajit Pawar's faction staking claim to the party name and symbol.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/ajit-pawar-will-get-opportunity-to-become-cm-says-praful-patel-1241260.html">Ajit Pawar will get opportunity to become CM, says Praful Patel</a></strong></p>.<p>"We will respond accordingly," Crasto said.</p>.<p>However, Praful Patel said, "I don't want to comment on issues regarding our internal party matters."</p>.<p>"Sharad Pawar continues to remain our idol and we want him to accept the political decision we have taken. We will persuade him," Patel told reporters in Nagpur.</p>.<p>He also said the no-confidence motion moved by the Congress against the Narendra Modi government was an eyewash.</p>.<p>"It shows the frustration of the opposition and even they know the no-confidence motion is of no use given the numbers the BJP has in the Lok Sabha," Patel said.</p>.<p>It is not easy for the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to provide a stable alternative, he said.</p>.<p>"Such initiatives have failed in 1977, 1989 and 1996 as they led to political and economic instability," he said.</p>.<p>Patel also said the friendship between the NCP and the BJP is "strong".</p>.<p>"We extend full support to the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is necessary to have a stable government with a single face that people trust. It is the need of the hour," he added.</p>
<p>The Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Thursday said the Election Commission has sent a letter seeking their response to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ajit Pawar's faction staking claim to the party name and symbol, and they will reply accordingly.</p>.<p>However, NCP leader Praful Patel, from the Ajit Pawar faction, declined to comment on the matter.</p>.<p>On July 2, Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy CM along with eight other NCP legislators as cabinet ministers.</p>.<p>The Ajit Pawar faction had also staked claim to the party symbol, informing the Election Commission (EC) that he was elected NCP chief through a resolution dated June 30, 2023 signed by an "overwhelming majority" of members of the party, both from the legislative and organisational wing.</p>.<p>The Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction's national spokesperson Clyde Crasto on Thursday said the EC has sent a letter seeking their response on the Ajit Pawar's faction staking claim to the party name and symbol.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/ajit-pawar-will-get-opportunity-to-become-cm-says-praful-patel-1241260.html">Ajit Pawar will get opportunity to become CM, says Praful Patel</a></strong></p>.<p>"We will respond accordingly," Crasto said.</p>.<p>However, Praful Patel said, "I don't want to comment on issues regarding our internal party matters."</p>.<p>"Sharad Pawar continues to remain our idol and we want him to accept the political decision we have taken. We will persuade him," Patel told reporters in Nagpur.</p>.<p>He also said the no-confidence motion moved by the Congress against the Narendra Modi government was an eyewash.</p>.<p>"It shows the frustration of the opposition and even they know the no-confidence motion is of no use given the numbers the BJP has in the Lok Sabha," Patel said.</p>.<p>It is not easy for the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to provide a stable alternative, he said.</p>.<p>"Such initiatives have failed in 1977, 1989 and 1996 as they led to political and economic instability," he said.</p>.<p>Patel also said the friendship between the NCP and the BJP is "strong".</p>.<p>"We extend full support to the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is necessary to have a stable government with a single face that people trust. It is the need of the hour," he added.</p>