Allegation that Sharad Pawar ran NCP like his fiefdom amounts to questioning his character: Awhad

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad on Saturday said the accusation by the lawyer of the party's Ajit Pawar-led camp that Sharad Pawar ran the NCP as if it was his fiefdom was like questioning the character of the party founder.

His remark comes a day after the Election Commission met the warring factions of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar over their claims to the party name and poll symbol. Sharad Pawar was present at the personal hearing in Delhi.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared before the poll panel on behalf of Sharad Pawar, while senior advocates N K Kaul and Maninder Singh were present on behalf of Ajit Pawar.

Talking to reporters here, Awhad said the breakaway group made Sharad Pawar, who had raised them politically, sit through the proceedings at the Election Commission's office.

"The opposite group's lawyer said that Sharad Pawar runs his party in an undemocratic manner, considering it as his fiefdom. Such comments being made to win a political battle are unfortunate. It amounts to questioning Sharad Pawar's character," the MLA, who represents the Mumbra-Kalwa constituency in Thane district of Maharashtra, said.

"A lawyer speaks what he is briefed on. And this is what the breakaway group says about the leader who has given them everything. How dare anyone call him anti-democracy. It is because of him everyone enjoyed power," he said.

Awhad said the breakaway group needs to introspect if Pawar acts in an undemocratic manner.

"The breakaway group is saying that the number of MLAs and the votes they got should be considered. They don't speak of an organisation. The Supreme Court has clearly said the legislative party cannot be termed as a political party," he said.

Sharad Pawar on Friday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as well as Rahul Gandhi in the national capital.

Awhad said Pawar's meeting with the Congress leaders was an informal one.

On July 2, Ajit Pawar along with eight other NCP MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP government, thereby creating a split in the party.

Two days before his rebellion, Ajit Pawar had approached the EC on June 30 staking claim to the party name as well as symbol and subsequently also declared himself as the party president with support of 40 lawmakers.

Recently, the Sharad Pawar-led faction had told the EC that there was no dispute in the party, except that a few mischievous individuals have defected from the organisation for their personal ambitions, a reference to the rebel group headed by Ajit Pawar.