'Proved EC was taking political decision at BJP's behest': NCP(SP) welcomes SC order to Ajit Pawar faction

Crasto said that the order by SC will ensure the people of Maharashtra and India will not be confused with 'this game played by the BJP'.

Mumbai: Hours after the Supreme Court asked Ajit Pawar-led NCP for an undertaking that they will not use pictures of Sharad Pawar in its posters, and asked it to explore the option of selecting its own symbol instead of the clock symbol, the NCP (SCP) welcomed the order of the apex court saying that the Election Commission was taking a 'political decision' at the behest of BJP.

“The directive of the Supreme Court asking the Ajit Pawar group to not use the photograph and the name of our party president, Sharad Pawar Saheb, is a very welcome decision. It has asked the Ajit Pawar group to not use the clock symbol during elections because the clock symbol is identified with Sharad Pawar,” NCP (SCP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said.

In June-July 2023, there was a split in the 25-year-old party with Ajit Pawar walking to the BJP-led NCA camp to become the Deputy Chief Minister alongside BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis in the government headed by Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde. Later, before the Election Commission of India, he had successfully claimed the party and symbol as the “real NCP party”, which was also recognised by Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

Crasto further said, “This just proves that when the Election Commission of India gave the Nationalist Congress Party name and the clock symbol to the Ajit Pawar group, it was taking a political decision at BJP's behest."

“Everybody in India and Maharashtra knows that the clock symbol is identified with Sharad Pawar. Therefore, to avoid this confusion and put things in the right perspective, the Supreme Court took this decision. We welcome it and we are happy that the people of Maharashtra and India will not be confused with this game played by the BJP,” he added.