Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar expressed strong opposition to the meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) working committee called by Sharad Pawar in New Delhi. Ajit Pawar claimed that the meeting was illegal and held no legal significance.

In a statement, Ajit Pawar, who is supported by his faction to be the party president, stated that any decisions made during the so-called working committee meeting of national office-bearers and state party presidents would have no legitimate legal basis and would not be binding within the party.

Ajit Pawar learned through media reports that Sharad Pawar had scheduled a meeting of the working committee, national office-bearers, and state presidents in New Delhi on July 6. Ajit Pawar’s camp emphasized that he had been elected as the national president of the NCP on June 30, with extensive support from elected representatives and organizational members. They added that Ajit Pawar had also submitted a petition to the Election Commission of India, asserting his representation of the true NCP and requesting ownership of the party name and symbol.

The NCP member also argued that the dispute over who truly represents the NCP falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India. Therefore, until the dispute is resolved by the ECI, no individual within the party has the authority to call for a meeting of the national executive committee.

Ajit Pawar, identifying himself as the “NCP president,” wrote to the ECI, claiming the party name and symbol, just two days before he joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government with eight other NCP MLAs. In response, NCP founder Sharad Pawar filed a caveat with the ECI, requesting that no orders be issued until the poll panel considers his argument regarding Ajit’s petition. On June 30, the ECI received affidavits from 42 MLAs, six MLCs, and two MPs, all declaring their allegiance to the Ajit faction.