To recap, in November 2019, Ajit Pawar made his first attempt to “split” the NCP by departing with a handful of MLAs to form a government with the BJP. Ajit was sworn in as deputy chief minister for 80 hours, after which the majority of MLAs returned to the NCP, and the alliance collapsed. He finally split the party in July 2023.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan told the Ajit Pawar faction that they must fight the elections under their own identity and refrain from using Sharad Pawar’s name during the electioneering.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) asking it to "stand up on your legs" and not use Sharad Pawar's name and photos in the ongoing election campaign in Maharashtra for the upcoming assembly polls.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the frequent use of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar’s name in online content shared by the Ajit Pawar-led faction amidst ongoing campaigning in Maharashtra for the upcoming Assembly elections.

Supreme Court advises Maharashtra NCP to stand on own legs, not rely on Sharad Pawar's influence in elections.

The Supreme Court instructed the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to refrain from using Sharad Pawar's images in their Maharashtra election campaign. The court urged the faction to establish its own identity and avoid capitalizing on Sharad Pawar's reputation.

Before the top court, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was representing the Sharad Pawar faction, claimed that junior Pawar was violating earlier SC ruling by blatantly using videos of Sharad Pawar in election campaigning.

The NCP led by Ajit Pawar is contesting a total of 60 seats, including friendly fights in eight seats, as per the seat sharing arrangement in Mahayuti. The NCP (SP) is contesting 86 seats, including one friendly fight,

The Supreme Court asked the Ajit Pawar faction to stand on its feet and not depend on Sharad Pawar’s name for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

The Supreme Court said it had full faith in the wisdom of the voters but the order of the court to provide a level-playing field had to be respected

The bench led by Justice Surya Kant instructed both factions of the NCP to respect voter wisdom and focus on the electoral battlefield.