NCP's Sunetra Pawar presidency challenged, fresh polls demanded
Synopsis
A sitting NCP National Secretary has legally challenged the very election that made Sunetra Ajit Pawar party president, alleging the Worli convention bypassed secret ballots, returning officers, and constitutional mandates entirely. With a 15-day ultimatum issued and the ECI drawn into the dispute, the NCP's post-Ajit Pawar succession could unravel in court.
Key Takeaways
NCP National Secretary Sachchidanand Singh served a legal notice on 9 July 2026 challenging Sunetra Ajit Pawar's election as National President.
The notice targets Praful Patel and Brijmohan Shrivastav alongside Sunetra Pawar, demanding the election be declared illegal, non est, and void .
Singh alleges the 26 February 2026 National Convention at Worli, Mumbai violated the party constitution — no Central Election Authority, no Returning Officer, no secret ballot.
ECI filings on 28 February , 10 March , and 29 April 2026 are alleged to be 'internally inconsistent' and made without National Delegate mandate.
Singh has given a 15-day deadline to comply, failing which he will pursue further legal remedies before courts and the Election Commission of India .
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) National Secretary Sachchidanand Singh has legally challenged the internal organisational elections that elevated Sunetra Ajit Pawar to the post of National President, demanding the entire process be declared void and fresh polls conducted under proper constitutional safeguards. The legal notice, served on 9 July 2026, targets the party's top leadership and exposes a deepening fracture within the NCP's internal power structure.
The Legal Notice and Its Demands
Singh served a comprehensive legal notice on 9 July to Sunetra Ajit Pawar (National President), Praful Patel (National Working President), and Brijmohan Shrivastav (National General Secretary and Nodal Officer to the Election Commission of India). The notice demands that the election process be declared 'illegal, non est (non-existent), and void' and that fresh, constitutionally compliant organisational elections be held.
Singh has given the noticees a strict 15-day window to comply. If the leadership fails to act, he has reserved the right to pursue further legal remedies before the courts and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
What Triggered the Challenge
The dispute traces back to the demise of former NCP leader Ajit Pawar earlier this year. According to party records dated 17 February 2026, it was agreed that Praful Patel would temporarily officiate as National President following Ajit Pawar's passing.
Singh alleges that within 24 hours, on 18 February 2026, General Secretary Brijmohan Shrivastav independently passed a resolution calling for a 'National Convention' to elect a permanent party president — a power Singh contends Shrivastav did not constitutionally possess. 'A General Secretary does not possess the constitutional mandate to convene a National Convention or initiate presidential elections. This power rests solely with the constitutionally designated officiating head,' Singh stated in the notice.
Alleged Violations at the Worli Convention
The legal challenge specifically targets the National Convention held on 26 February 2026 at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Worli, Mumbai, where Sunetra Ajit Pawar was officially declared National President.
Singh alleges that the NCP Party Constitution was violated on multiple counts: no independent Central Election Authority was constituted, no Returning Officer was appointed, no official election calendar was published, and mandatory procedures — including formal nomination of candidates, publication of candidate lists, a withdrawal window, and voting by secret ballot — were entirely bypassed. Singh, a sitting National Secretary appointed before 26 February 2026, alleged he received no official notice, no nomination rights, and no opportunity to participate. He noted that he attended the Worli convention and raised objections, which were reportedly ignored.
Inconsistencies in ECI Filings
Singh has also questioned the party's official submissions to the apex election body. His notice flags communications sent to the ECI on 28 February 2026 and 10 March 2026 as 'internally inconsistent'. Additionally, a 'revised and final' list of office-bearers was submitted to the ECI on 29 April 2026 without any notification or mandate from the National Delegates — a move Singh argues renders the entire administrative foundation void.
What Singh Is Demanding
Through his advocates, Singh has outlined specific demands: withdrawal of all ECI communications dated 28 February, 10 March, and 29 April 2026; a declaration that Sunetra Ajit Pawar's election and the revised office-bearer list are null and void; constitution of a proper Central Election Authority to conduct fresh elections with due notice to all National Delegates; and the furnishing of certified copies of the party constitution, convention resolutions, nomination lists, and convention minutes.
The notice sets the stage for a high-stakes legal battle that could force the ECI to re-examine the NCP's internal leadership structure at a politically sensitive juncture.
Point of View
It could freeze the party's official recognition of its own office-bearers, a scenario that would severely hamper NCP's operational capacity ahead of any electoral cycle. Parties that shortcut internal democracy often pay the price in court — and the NCP may be no exception.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Sunetra Ajit Pawar's election as NCP president been challenged?
NCP National Secretary Sachchidanand Singh has challenged the election on the grounds that the 26 February 2026 National Convention violated the party's own constitution — specifically, that no Central Election Authority was constituted, no Returning Officer appointed, and no secret ballot conducted. Singh also alleges the convention was convened by a General Secretary who lacked the constitutional authority to do so.
Who is Sachchidanand Singh and what is his standing in the NCP?
Sachchidanand Singh is a sitting NCP National Secretary, appointed to the post before 26 February 2026. He claims that despite holding this office, he was given no notice of the Worli convention, denied nomination rights, and had his objections at the convention ignored.
What specific demands has Singh made in the legal notice?
Singh has demanded withdrawal of all ECI communications related to the election (dated 28 February, 10 March, and 29 April 2026), a declaration that Sunetra Ajit Pawar's election is null and void, constitution of a proper Central Election Authority, and fresh organisational elections with due notice to all National Delegates. He has given a 15-day deadline to comply.
How does the Election Commission of India factor into this dispute?
The ECI is central to the challenge because the NCP submitted filings about the election results to the commission on 28 February, 10 March, and 29 April 2026. Singh alleges these filings are 'internally inconsistent' and made without a mandate from National Delegates, and has demanded they be withdrawn. If Singh escalates legally, the ECI may be asked to adjudicate on the validity of the party's current leadership.
What triggered the NCP's internal leadership dispute?
The dispute stems from the death of former NCP leader Ajit Pawar earlier in 2026. Party records from 17 February 2026 show Praful Patel was to temporarily officiate as president, but Singh alleges that within a day, General Secretary Brijmohan Shrivastav unilaterally called a National Convention — bypassing constitutional protocol and setting in motion the contested election process.
