After Sharad Pawar's objection, NCP began using Yashwantrao Chavan's name, photos: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar/ File pic

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar disclosed on Thursday that, following concerns from his uncle Sharad Pawar, the party had switched to utilising the name and images of the state's first chief minister, Yashwantrao Chavan.

Ajit Pawar's statement was issued in response to the Supreme Court's instruction to the NCP, led by him, to respond to a plea brought by Sharad Pawar side. The complaint accused Sharad Pawar of using his name and photographs for political gain, reported PTI.

According to the report, the Supreme Court directed the Ajit Pawar-led party to offer a clear and absolute assurance that Sharad Pawar's name and images will no longer be used.

Ajit Pawar told reporters in his hometown of Baramati, Pune district, that after aligning with the BJP-Shiv Sena administration in Maharashtra, the party began utilising Sharad Pawar's name and image. However, once his uncle objected and warned him, they stopped this practice, the report further stated.

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"But after he (Sharad Pawar) objected to the use of his photos and name, and warned of action, we stopped using his name and photos. We are now using the photos of Yashwantrao Chavan, a cultured leader, and going to people," Ajit Pawar was quoted as saying.

The NCP split occurred in July of last year when Ajit Pawar and his allies joined the Maharashtra administration led by Eknath Shinde. The Election Commission then gave the Ajit Pawar-led faction the party name 'NCP' and the symbol 'clock', whereas Sharad Pawar's group became known as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) with the symbol 'man blowing tutari'.

SC asks Ajit Pawar's faction to respond on the misuse of Sharad Pawar's name

The top court had told the NCP faction led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to respond to a plea filed by the Sharad Pawar camp alleging misuse of his name and image for political gains. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan gave Ajit Pawar faction time till Saturday to file their response and scheduled the next hearing on March 19, reported PTI.

"We need a categorical and unconditional undertaking that the name and pictures of Sharad Pawar will not be used," the bench said, per the PTI report.

The Sharad Pawar-led fraction was previously given the name "Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar" by the Election Commission, a decision that the court previously supported.