The Election Commission of India (ECI) has recognized the Ajit Pawar-led faction as real Nationalist Congress Party and granted them NCP’s “clock” symbol. The poll body’s decision came as a big blow to the Sharad Pawar faction. The EC's decision is based on the "test of legislative majority," granting Ajit Pawar's group the NCP symbol amid internal election disputes.
In 2019, Ajit Pawar joined a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and became the Deputy Chief Minister; he claimed to have the support of a majority of the NCP's MLA's, but resigned from his post, alongside then-CM Devendra Fadnavis. In 2023, he led another split in the NCP and became the Deputy Chief Minister in the cabinet of CM Eknath Shinde. Having the support of the majority of the erstwhile NCP's MLAs, had claimed the position of president of the NCP, as well as the party's name and its electoral symbol.