Form booth committees, build party's base, says Jayant Patil of Sharad Pawar faction

Jayant Patil. File Pic

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil on Thursday asked party workers to form booth committees at the grassroot level ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, reported news agency PTI.

The NCP split in July last year and the Election Commission on Tuesday recognised the faction headed by Ajit Pawar, who is deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government, as the real NCP. It had asked the faction led by Sharad Pawar to choose a new name, reported PTI.

Addressing a 'Vijay Nischay' meet of party workers in Hadapsar, Jayant Patil of Sharad Pawar faction said, "Two days ago we lost our party name and symbol. Yesterday, we got a new name, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) for the Rajya Sabha polls."

"People are with Sharad Pawar. The sympathy factor (over losing party name and symbol), the respect everyone has for Pawar saheb and your votes and efforts will guarantee victory in this constituency (Hadapsar)," he said, reported PTI.

Booth committees, with 10 to 15 members each, need to be formed at the grassroot level to strengthen the party's base, Jayant Patil of Sharad Pawar faction said.

"Reach out to voters and raise issues like inflation, unemployment, rise in fuel prices," Patil said at the meeting, reported PTI.

He also announced that Amol Kolhe will be fielded from Shirur Lok Sabha seat again, reported PTI.

The Election Commission allotted 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for the group led by Sharad Pawar.

The order by the poll authority came a day after it gave the Nationalist Congress Party name and the "clock" election symbol to the group led by Ajit Pawar, who had walked away with a majority NCP MLAs in the Maharashtra assembly in July last year and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha member and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday said her faction will approach relevant forums to seek "complete justice" in the dispute related to the party and the 2023 split.

Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, said her faction will approach relevant forums to seek "complete justice".

The Lok Sabha MP also reposted her party's post about the EC order on social media platform X, saying it has given an interim arrangement for their faction.

"The ECI has given an interim arrangement for us to be recognised as the Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar. We shall be approaching the relevant forum to seek complete justice nevertheless," said the party's post.

(With inputs from PTI)