‘Stand on your own legs,’ SC scolds Ajit-led NCP over using Sharad Pawar’s images in campaigning

India’s top court on Wednesday (Nov 13) rebuked the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a party in the Indian state of Maharashtra,for using photos and videos of party founder Sharad Pawar. The Ajit faction had orchestrated a split from Sharad’s party in July last year and joined the ruling alliance led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Meanwhile, the faction led by Sharad Pawar remains a part of the opposition INDIA bloc.

Before the top court, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was representing the Sharad Pawar faction, claimed that junior Pawar was violating earlier SC ruling by blatantly using videos of Sharad Pawar in election campaigning. Singhvi added that the Ajit faction wanted to “piggyback” on the reputation of the senior Pawar.

Responding to the charges, advocate Balbir Singh, who was representing the Ajit faction, claimed the videos were doctored and the party never used Sharad Pawar’s images in poll campaigning. In response, Singhvi said the video in question was shared by the official handle of Amol Mitkari, a politician affiliated with the Ajit Pawar faction.

Justice Suryakant then scolded Balbir Singh and asked the Ajit faction to “Stand on your own legs.”

“Whether or not it is an old video, with Sharad Pawar, you have an ideological difference and are competing against him. Stand on your own legs,” the supreme court justice noted.

Justice Suryakant further advised, “Concentrate on the battlefield. The people are wise; they know who is Sharad Pawar and who is Ajit Pawar. Video clips may or may not influence them, but the Court’s order must be respected.”

Earlier, the opposition INDIA bloc had raised concerns that the Ajit faction was still using images of Sharad Pawar to create confusion among voters. The court also directed the Ajit faction to issue a message to all candidates not to use images and campaigning material carrying visuals of Sharad Pawar.

The case will now be heard on November 19.

According to arguments made before the court, the Ajit faction and Sharad Pawar faction are going head-to-head in 36 assembly seats in Maharashtra state. The polls in the state will be held on November 20.

(With inputs from agencies)