The Election Commission's decision to allot the name "Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar" for the party led by Sharad Pawar marks a significant development in Indian politics. This move not only solidifies Pawar's influence within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) but also underscores his stature as a prominent leader in the political landscape of India. Earlier, the Sharad Pawar's faction has proposed the following names: Sharad Pawar Congress, Mi Rashtrawadi, Sharad Swabhimani and three symbols - 'tea cup', 'sunflower' and 'rising sun'.Pawar's faction was asked to submit new names for his political formation after the Election Commission announced on Tuesday that the Ajit Pawar faction is the 'real NCP'. The commission also allotted the NCP symbol 'Clock' to the group led by Ajit Pawar.
While the Ajit Pawar faction celebrated the verdict, saying that "priority is given to the majority", Sharad Pawar's camp called it a "murder of democracy" and announced that they would approach the Supreme Court.Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction said that the poll panel "should be embarrassed" by its decision, adding that Ajit Pawar had "politically choked" his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar."This was going to happen. We already knew this. Today he (Ajit Pawar) has choked Sharad Pawar politically. Only Ajit Pawar is behind this. The only one who should be embarrassed in this is the Election Commission. Sharad Pawar is a phoenix. He will rise again from the ashes. We still have the power because we have Sharad Pawar. We will go to the Supreme Court," Sharad Pawar's camp leader Jitendra Ahwad told news agency ANI.Ajit Pawar had walked away with a majority of NCP MLAs in July last year and supported the BJP-Shiv Sena government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra.