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.

The Supreme Court has ordered Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP to stop using images of Sharad Pawar in the Maharashtra elections, emphasizing the need for separate identities amid ongoing disputes between the factions.

Following a rift between the Sharad Pawar and the Ajit Pawar factions of the NCP, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar's party as the real NCP based on its legislative majority and allotted the 'clock' symbol to it.

Asking both the NCP factions to focus on their side of the electoral battle, the bench, which also included Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasised that voters are wise enough to see through any confusion.

Supreme Court instructed Ajit Pawar's faction of NCP not to use photos and videos of Sharad Pawar as Maharashtra goes to polls next week.

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

The Supreme Court has directed Ajit Pawar's NCP not to depend on Sharad Pawar's pictures for poll campaign in Maharashtra.