The Sharad Pawar camp of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday informed the Election Commission of India that there was no dispute in the party, except that a few mischievous individuals have defected from the organisation for their personal ambitions, reports PTI.
The NCP supremo was referring to the rebel group headed by party leader Ajit Pawar, who joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, and later became the deputy Chief Minister, sharing the position with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
In a statement, the NCP led by the former Union minister said the Election Commission (EC) had sought its response to a petition filed by Ajit Pawar, and the party submitted its “preliminary response” to the poll panel on September 7.
“We have established the recurring contradictory stands of Ajit Pawar and how he has, without any legal or material basis, made a claim before the Election Commission,” the Sharad Pawar faction said.
“We have communicated to the Election Commission that there exists no dispute within the party and that except for a few mischievous individuals, who for their personal ambitions, have defected from the party,” it said. It further stressed that the organisation remains intact and overwhelmingly united behind party president Sharad Pawar.
In July, Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led government leaving a vertical split in the party. He later staked claim to the NCP.