In a fix over ECI 3-week deadline, Pawar calls all-important meet today

Earlier, the ECI had asked both factions of the NCP to respond on the party's name and symbol within August 17. The factions had sought four weeks time and now, they will have to respond within September 8.

New Delhi:A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) set a three-week deadline for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar to respond to the notices regarding the name and official symbol of the party, the senior Pawar called a meeting on Thursday to chalk out an effective strategy to tide over the 'crisis'.

Earlier, the commission had served notices to both the factions asking them to send their responses by August 17. However, both the factions sought four weeks' time to respond to the notice. Now, they would have to respond within September 8.

On July 27, the ECI had issued notices to both the factions, inquiring about documents that were submitted claiming to be the original party. On July 5, the commission had received affidavits of 40 MPs, MLAs and Legislative Council members, along with a proposal from the rebel faction stating that they have chosen Ajit Pawar as the NCP chief. Two days back, Ajit Pawar broke away from the party to join the Eknath Shinde-BJP led government and was sworn in as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra along with eight ministers.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction had decided not to approach the commission until it took cognizance of the claims of the rebel group. Earlier, Sharad Pawar had said that the power of the country is with the BJP and its allies. The role of BJP and its allies is to maintain unity in the society but, they are creating division, he had alleged. The BJP has toppled the governments of many states namely Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, the NCP supremo had alleged.

"We all have seen what happened after toppling the Uddhav Thackeray government of Maharashtra. The ECI has given a notice regarding my party. I don't need to worry. I want to make it clear that some people of the Modi government at the Center had opposed the decision of the commission on Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena party. This can happen with us too," he had said.