Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) working president and Member of Parliament Supriya Sule on Friday, 21 August declared that the faction led by Sharad Pawar is pursuing an organisational battle in the Supreme Court — one she described as a fight of morality, not merely of legal ownership. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Sule maintained that the party's constitution and rightful identity belong to the man who built it.

The Supreme Court Battle and Its Stakes

Sule acknowledged that the Ajit Pawar faction had secured a favourable verdict before the Election Commission of India (ECI), winning the party name and symbol. However, she argued that the organisational legitimacy of the NCP (SP) rests with Sharad Pawar, and that stripping the party from its founder constitutes a 'major injustice.'

'What Sharad Pawar decides to do with the party afterwards will be his decision, alongside those involved in the organisational process. This is not a personal issue for any of us, as an organisation is nobody's private property,' she said.

The remark signals that the NCP (SP)'s Supreme Court challenge is being framed as a principled stand rather than a factional power struggle — a framing designed to broaden its moral appeal ahead of future electoral cycles.

Sharp Rebuke Over Congress Remarks on Delimitation Bill

Sule also issued a pointed response to Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, who had advised the NCP (SP) not to 'align with Manusmritivadis' in the context of the Delimitation Bill debate. Sule said local Congress leaders in Maharashtra 'repeatedly place the NCP in the wrong box,' suggesting a disconnect between the state unit and the party's central leadership.

'We remain in constant communication with central Congress leaders, but state Congress leaders in Maharashtra repeatedly place us in the wrong box,' she said. The remark underscores simmering tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, even as the partners maintain a public front of unity.

Rahul Gandhi's Pune Visit and Conditions Imposed

Addressing the controversy around Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Pune, Sule questioned the restrictions imposed by the local administration. 'He will arrive, interact with students peacefully through democratic means, and leave. What is wrong with that?' she said.

Sule raised concerns that conditions being placed on a sitting Leader of the Opposition amounted to curbing democratic expression, calling for the programme to proceed without interference.

Development Funds, Discrimination, and Quality Concerns

Sule alleged that Opposition MPs, including those from her party, face discrimination comparable to municipal councillors — with development funds withheld despite repeated requests. She drew a contrast with the previous government's tenure, claiming that her party, when in power, 'often executed the work of Opposition leaders at double the speed.'

She extended support to MP Bajrang Sonawane, warning against what she called 'dirty politics' being brought to people's doorsteps, and said the party would not tolerate false cases against Sonawane's family or any party worker.

Sule also alleged a broader quality deficit across public services — roads, education, ashram schools, and anganwadis — and questioned the end-use of sanctioned funds, alleging corruption in food served to school students.

What Comes Next

The NCP (SP)'s Supreme Court proceedings are expected to continue, with the outcome potentially reshaping the party's formal identity and electoral standing in Maharashtra. With the next state election cycle on the horizon, the battle over the NCP's soul — legal, moral, and political — is far from settled.