Hearing before Maharashtra Speaker on NCP disqualification pleas a 'farce', says Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday dubbed as a "farce" the on-going hearing on NCP disqualification pleas before Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, and claimed the Sharad Pawar-founded party will meet the same fate as his outfit, reported news agency PTI.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) suffered a split in July 2023 when its senior leader Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs broke ranks and joined the Eknath Shinde government as cabinet ministers. Ajit Pawar is now deputy chief minister.

Narwekar is hearing NCP disqualification pleas linked to the split filed by the NCP's rival factions, seeking disqualification of those owing allegiance to the other camp.

"It (hearing) is a farce. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has experienced it and now the NCP, too, will experience it," Sanjay Raut said, reported PTI.

Last month, Narwekar, delivering his much-awaited verdict, had recognised Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as the "real political party", but did not disqualify any MLA from the two rival camps.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, said NCP founder Sharad Pawar is very much active so there was no rationale behind conducting hearing to decide whom does the party belong to, reported PTI.

The Supreme Court has extended time till February 15 for Narwekar to give his verdict in the NCP disqualification matter. The earlier deadline was January 31.

Earlier, Sanjay Raut claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is sending threats and notices to political leaders interested in joining the Uddhav faction. He also criticised Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde group as the real Shiv Sena, calling it "completely illegal".

"All the big leaders who wanted to join Shiv Sena (UBT) had ED notices at their homes. Notices are sent, and they are threatened not to go anywhere near Shiv Sena," Raut said while talking to reporters in Mumbai, stated an ANI report.

Raut also responded to Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision and said, "The decision given by the Speaker (Rahul Narwekar) about Shiv Sena was completely illegal. We had all the evidence of what we had given to the ECI (Election Commission of India). We had given all the information to the public. We removed their mask and exposed them. After which they became furious and from the next day on, our people started receiving notices from ED and IT."

In a decision dated January 10, the Maharashtra Speaker cited the Shiv Sena constitution, declaring that the "Shinde faction was the real Shiv Sena when rival factions emerged." Per the ANI report, Narwekar justified his decision saying, "The decision of Paksha Pramukh cannot be taken as a decision of the political party." Raut emphasised that the Speaker's decision contradicted the party's constitution.

Speaker's decision came nearly two years after Thackeray camp first moved disqualification petitions against Shinde and the legislators supporting him under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) of the Constitution.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)