'Learn To Stand On Own Feet': Supreme Court Asks Ajit Pawar's NCP To Not Use Sharad Pawar's Photos In Maharashtra Polls

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (13 November) directed the faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar to stop using any images or videos of party founder Sharad Pawar during their election campaign, NDTV reported.

This directive follows a split in July last year when Ajit Pawar broke away from his uncle’s side. During the hearing, a bench consisting of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan advised Ajit Pawar’s faction to establish its identity independently, remarking, "Learn to stand on your own feet."

This response came after senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi raised concerns that an older video featuring Sharad Pawar was being shared by Ajit Pawar’s group, potentially leading to confusion among voters about the relationship between the two factions.

Rejecting arguments from Ajit Pawar's legal representative, Balbir Singh, who claimed the video was not being used in current campaign material, Justice Surya Kant reiterated that since the two factions are ideologically opposed, Ajit Pawar's group should distance itself from Sharad Pawar’s image.

The court mandated Ajit Pawar’s team to circulate instructions to party members, prohibiting the use of any media involving Sharad Pawar, emphasizing the need for Ajit Pawar’s group to develop a distinct identity.

Singhvi, representing Sharad Pawar, had argued that Ajit Pawar’s faction was relying on his uncle’s popularity, particularly in constituencies where the two NCP factions are direct competitors, potentially causing voter confusion.

This court session is part of an ongoing dispute over the NCP’s traditional clock symbol, which the Ajit Pawar faction has been allowed to use with the stipulation that a final decision is still pending.

Last week, Ajit Pawar’s team faced scrutiny from the court for not adequately complying with this order. The Deputy Chief Minister was given 36 hours to make this clear in campaign materials but failed to provide satisfactory evidence.

The use of the NCP's original clock symbol has become a major issue in the run-up to the 20 November election, with Ajit Pawar’s group eager to improve on the performance from the last federal election, where they won only one out of four seats compared to Sharad Pawar’s faction, which secured eight.

Ajit Pawar’s break from his uncle’s leadership came in July 2023 when he, along with over two dozen MLAs, joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction.