Internal friction within the Nationalist Congress Party has intensified once again after the election of Sunetra Pawar as the party's National President faced a direct legal challenge. A formal legal notice was issued on 17 August by the counsel representing senior leader Sachchidanand Singh, served to Sunetra Pawar, National Working President Praful Patel, and Party General Secretary Brijmohan Srivastava. The notice delivers a firm warning that if the demands set forth in a previous communication dated 9 July are not fulfilled within a final window of 15 days, the aggrieved faction will approach the Election Commission of India or the courts to seek the complete annulment of the 26 February organizational polls.
Legal Notice Challenges Election Validity and Sets 15-Day Ultimatum
The controversy centers around the organizational election conducted on 26 February this year, which the legal notice characterizes as entirely illegal, unauthorized, and invalid under the party's governing rules. According to the legal representative of Sachchidanand Singh, an initial notice outlining these grievances was served to the leadership on 9 July. However, with those demands remaining unaddressed, the fresh notice sent on 17 August grants a final 15-day grace period. Should the leadership fail to comply within the stipulated timeframe, formal proceedings will be initiated before the Election Commission or appropriate legal forums to invalidate the leadership election results.
Four Core Allegations Raised in the Legal Notice
The legal document underlines four specific constitutional and procedural lapses concerning the 26 February polling process
- Lack of Central Election Authority: The notice alleges that no official Central Election Authority or designated Returning Officer was validly appointed to oversee the election on 26 February, violating party rules.
- Denial of Participation Rights: Senior national-level leaders and members were allegedly denied the opportunity to contest positions, submit nomination papers, or cast their votes during the organizational exercise.
- Withdrawal of Election Submissions: The notice demands the immediate retraction of all documents, letters, and filings submitted to the Election Commission regarding the poll results on 28 February, 10 March, and 29 April.
- Conducting Fresh Elections: It calls for rejecting the recently issued revised final list of office bearers and conducting brand-new organizational elections strictly in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution.
Supriya Sule Frames Dispute as a Moral and Constitutional Battle
Reacting to the emerging legal friction, Supriya Sule, Executive President of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), addressed media representatives in Mumbai and described the ongoing legal tussle as a fundamental fight for constitutional principles. Supriya Sule emphasized that the challenge is not directed against any particular individual, but is aimed at safeguarding the Constitution of India drafted by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar alongside established statutory rules.
Addressing the Election Commission's decision to allocate the official party name and electoral symbol to the Sunetra Pawar-led faction, Supriya Sule expressed confidence that the ruling will be overturned upon judicial review. She asserted that severe injustice had been done to party founder Sharad Pawar, maintaining that in the eyes of supporters and cadres, Sharad Pawar remains the sole legitimate president of the authentic Nationalist Congress Party.
NCP Leadership Rebuttal and Background of Factional Struggle
Responding to the legal challenge, Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Umesh Patil dismissed the claims, stating that Sachchidanand Singh no longer holds any official post within the organization. Umesh Patil remarked, "Whatever legal or administrative response we need to give, we will place it directly before the Election Commission." Previously, National Working President Praful Patel had similarly maintained that there is no internal rift within the party ranks and asserted that such legal notices hold no constitutional or legal standing.
The organizational contestation comes against the backdrop of a prolonged leadership vacuum and internal power struggle that began earlier this year. In January, NCP chief and then Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar tragically passed away in a plane crash. Following his untimely demise, competing factions within the party have been locked in an intense conflict over organizational control, leadership succession, and official authority.
