Ajit Pawar faction questions NCP's internal election process at speaker's hearing

Ajit Pawar. File Pic

The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has questioned the internal election process of the party, saying former minister Jayant Patil, who belongs to the rival faction led by Sharad Pawar, wasn't the elected but nominated president of the Maharashtra unit, reported news agency PTI.

The remarks were made by the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP during the hearing on disqualification petitions before assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday.

Patil maintained he was the state NCP president because he was elected to the post and senior leader Praful Patel, now a member of the Ajit Pawar group, had given him a letter to that effect, reported PTI.

Lawyers representing the Ajit Pawar faction said Patil's term as state NCP president ended in 2022, reported PTI.

Patil countered the argument, saying he was elected for three years and his term continued till a new appointment was made, reported PTI.

During the hearing, Patil was asked 90 questions.

Shirur Lok Sabha member Amol Kolhe was also cross-examined.

The 1999-founded party suffered a split when Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs loyal to him took oath as ministers in the Shiv Sena-led government on July 2, 2023.

Subsequently, both factions filed cross-petitions before the speaker seeking disqualification of each other's members from the assembly.

The Supreme Court has set January 31 deadline for the speaker's verdict in the NCP disqualification case.

Meanwhile, NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, grand nephew of party supremo Sharad Pawar, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here on Wednesday for questioning in connection with a probe into the alleged Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam, and left after more than 11 hours, reported PTI.

The MLA, who left the ED office in South Mumbai around 10 pm, told reporters that he was cooperating with the agency which has called him again for questioning on February 1, reported PTI.

Earlier, NCP MP Supriya Sule and other party leaders accompanied the 38-year-old legislator as he arrived at the central agency's office at Ballard Estate around 10.30 am.

Before going to the probe agency's office, Rohit Pawar went to the NCP office's located nearby and met Sharad Pawar, touched his feet, and also interacted with other party leaders.

(With inputs from PTI)