BJP leader Ashish Shelar on Tuesday said that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is still the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on the Floor of the House and his whip will hold as leader of the legislature party.
"We are confirmed that Ajit Pawar is the leader of NCP on the Floor of the House, and his whip will hold as leader of the legislature party, Shelar told media.
"We are making it clear that whatever letter has been submitted by Jayant Patil Ji is a counter letter to the letter earlier given for the appointment of Ajit Pawar as a leader of NCP in the house," he said.
The BJP leader said, "The Governor not once but twice have communicated with Ajit Pawar as the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party. Nobody has challenged that. At the time of swearing-in, prior to that, the list of supporting MLAs has also been communicated by Ajit Pawar as a leader of NCP."
"Not only that even yesterday, before Supreme Court, the NCP while arguing their case they tried to put forward that they are in the process or have changed the leader of assembly but after going through the proceedings and arguments, the top court has not categorically accepted the same," he said.
"Now, there is a letter on record of Ajit Pawar as a leader which was accepted by the Governor and there is a counter letter given by Jayant Patil as a leader of assembly of NCP party. We believe and we know, in this case, the procedure demands the speaker of the assembly Haribhau Bagade has to follow the process. To begin with, he may ask the clarification if needed from Ajit Pawar and by following the process of arguments and counter-arguments then only he can come to the conclusion," the BJP leader said.
"As far as we are concerned, we know that Ajit Pawar is a leader of the NCP on the floor. His whip will only follow," he added.