Maharashtra: Two NCPs Clash Over Who Will Celebrate Party Foundation Day on June 10

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is celebrating its 25th anniversary on June 10th this year. However, this year will be different as the party is now divided into two factions. This is the first foundation day after the split. Ajit Pawar has instructed party workers to celebrate the occasion with great enthusiasm. As the national president of the NCP, Ajit Pawar has ordered members to celebrate the foundation day on June 10th with vigor. Announcements will soon be made regarding the celebration, which will take place either in Delhi's Talkatora Stadium or Mumbai's Shanmukhananda Hall.

Ajit Pawar has gained control of the NCP and its clock symbol. In contrast, Sharad Pawar's faction has been named the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) with the symbol of a man blowing a trumpet. This division has created a legal dilemma for both groups. Ajit Pawar’s faction has declared that they will celebrate the anniversary with great enthusiasm, asserting that the court has not prohibited the celebration of the foundation day anywhere.

On one hand, Ajit Pawar’s faction is making grand preparations, while on the other, sources indicate that the Nationalist Congress Sharadchandra Pawar faction also plans to celebrate the foundation day. Since Sharad Pawar founded the party, his faction claims the right to celebrate as well. Given that both the party and its symbol are under legal scrutiny, the Sharad Pawar faction asserts that they too will celebrate the foundation day on June 10th.

"We Have the Party Name and Symbol, We Will Celebrate Foundation Day": NCP (Ajit) Spokesperson

Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Chief Spokesperson Umesh Patil stated in response to media queries that the party and its symbol have been officially granted to Ajit Pawar by the Election Commission. Consequently, they will celebrate the party's foundation day on June 10th with great enthusiasm.

Despite the ongoing legal battle over the symbol, Umesh Patil clarified that Sharad Pawar does not have the rights to the NCP name. Instead, the Election Commission has granted him a separate name, "Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar," along with the trumpet symbol. Therefore, they can celebrate their first foundation day next year on the day they were officially recognized with this new name and symbol.

Umesh Patil emphasized that the right to celebrate the 25th silver jubilee foundation day belongs to them, and every worker who loves Ajit Pawar will celebrate it with great enthusiasm.

He also pointed out that under Sharad Pawar's leadership, national leaders like Tariq Anwar, P.A. Sangma, and Praful Patel, along with state leaders such as Madhukar Pichad, Chhagan Bhujbal, Vijaysinh Mohite Patil, Padmasinh Patil, Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare, R.R. Patil, Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, and Hasan Mushrif, contributed to the party's growth. Umesh Patil took a jab at the opposition by stating that the current office bearers of the opposing faction were not even founders at the time of the party's inception.

He further asserted that 90% of the people who contributed to the party's growth are now with Ajit Pawar. He explained that a political party is not private property but an institution registered with the Election Commission. Unlike private property, which can be transferred through inheritance, a political party follows democratic processes and goes to those with the majority support. Since Ajit Pawar holds the majority, they will celebrate the foundation day on June 10th at both national and state levels.