Amid Maharashtra’s political fight, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Thursday asserted that he was the real president of the party, and his party’s Working Committee ratified his decision to expel MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from the party, along with nine MLAs, including his nephew Ajit Pawar, who had joined the Eknath Shinde Government in the State.

“What someone has said is not important, I am the president of the party,” Mr Sharad Pawar said after the meeting. He said the working committee meeting at his residence was as per the party constitution and what others said about it was not relevant.

He said the working committee meeting had boosted the morale of the party leaders to take it ahead. “We will rebuild the party,” he said. Answering questions, he said “Whether I am 82 or 92, I am the effective president of the NCP.”

On Ajit Pawar’s desire to be chief minister said, Sharad Pawar said “I have no quarrel with what people want to be, chief minister or prime minister.” He had faith in the Election Commission and only if there are legal issues left, the party will consider exploring other options, he said.

“We will see who has the majority, 2/3^rd or what it is, the Election Commission will decide. People also have a role to decide the issue. The kind of response I am getting from people, I am satisfied,” Mr Sharad Pawar said.

He said “Central investigating agencies like ED, CBI are misused. Eleven months are left for the next General Elections, after which we will decide what changes are necessary in this.”

In the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024, “those in power will be removed. Steps have been taken against the Opposition, they will have to pay a price for that,” said the NCP leader. The Maharashtra electorate will remove them from power, he said.

Announcing the working committee decisions, party leader P C Chacko said not a single of the 27 state committees of the party has said that they are not with Mr Sharad Pawar. The organisation is intact, he said.

He said the Working Committee meet at Mr Sharad Pawar’s residence passed eight resolutions and expressed its full faith in his leadership of the party, Mr Chacko said. Among those expelled from the party is Delhi office-incharge S R Kohli.

Mr Chacko said most of the elected members and permanent invitees of the working committee had attended the meeting, while others had sent letters. He said those expelled were also removed from all party committees and trusts set up it.

He said without the working committee meet, Mr Ajit Pawar’s decisions were not valid. He said the NCP stands against the misuse of Government agencies. The next general elections in 2024 will be crucial.

The BJP is using undemocratic means. The BJP started this in Tamil Nadu and is now following it up in Bihar. He said the investigating agencies were never let loose in this country, so nakedly and so brutally.

“One of our friends who left us, said they have shifted the ED office to his house, and he was given the choice of jail or joining the BJP group,” Mr Chacko said. This is politics of hate, he said. The opposition has a role in democracy, he said.

The NCP condemned the Government policies which had led to inflation, he said. He said the 130 crore people of the country are suffering price-rise. Never in the recent past, the prices were so high. The women’s plight is getting worse, and women are treated so badly, especially in the BJP States.

Mr Chacko said “We stand firmly with the Opposition. The unity of the Opposition against the BJP was first mooted by Mr Sharad Pawar in the NCP National Convention at Talkatora Stadium.” He had proposed the idea that anti-BJP parties have to come together, he said. “This is picking up at this moment. We are strongly with the Opposition,” he said.

Among those present were Jitendra Awhad, Fauzia Khan and Vandana Chavan. NCP MP Fouzia Khan said “We are absolutely with Sharad Pawar. We want to rally behind him and fight for the public.”

Working Committee members said those who called Mr Sharad Pawar father-like, had left him and “we condemn this.” He said “There is no split in the party, only some people have left us, in the Vidhan Sabha, Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena will form Government, there will be no compromise with the BJP.”