Hearing before Maha Speaker on NCP disqualification pleas a 'farce': Raut

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday dubbed as a "farce" the on-going hearing on disqualification petitions filed by rival NCP factions before Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, and claimed the Sharad Pawar-founded party will meet the same fate as his outfit.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) suffered a split in July 2023 when its senior leader Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs broke ranks and joined the Eknath Shinde government as cabinet ministers. Ajit Pawar is now deputy chief minister.

Narwekar is hearing cross-petitions linked to the split filed by the NCP's rival factions, seeking disqualification of those owing allegiance to the other camp.

"It (hearing) is a farce. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has experienced it and now the NCP, too, will experience it," Raut said.

Last month, Narwekar, delivering his much-awaited verdict, had recognised Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as the "real political party", but did not disqualify any MLA from the two rival camps.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, said NCP founder Sharad Pawar is very much active so there was no rationale behind conducting a hearing to decide whom the party belongs to.

The Supreme Court has extended time till February 15 for Narwekar to give his verdict in the NCP disqualification matter. The earlier deadline was January 31.