Since Sharad Pawar's objection, we use Yashwantrao Chavan's name: Ajit

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that although following a split his party initially used the name and photos of his uncle Sharad Pawar, after the latter's objection, it started using state's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan's name and pictures.

His made the statement after the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday sought a response of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar on a plea filed by the Sharad Pawar faction, alleging misuse of his name and pictures for political gains. The apex court directed the Ajit Pawar-led party to give a categorical and unconditional undertaking that the name, pictures of Sharad Pawar will not be used.

Talking to reporters in his hometown Baramati in Pune district, Ajit Pawar said after he aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, his party started using the name and images of Sharad Pawar. "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," he said.

Founded by former Union minister Sharad Pawar, the NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and the MLAs supporting him joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government. The Election Commission later allotted the party name 'NCP' and symbol 'clock' to the Ajit Pawar-led party, while the faction led by Sharad Pawar is now known as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and his outfit's symbol is 'man blowing tutari' (traditional trumpet).

Sharad Pawar considers Yashwantrao Chavan as his political mentor. Besides being the first CM of Maharashtra, Chavan served as the country's defence minister and also the Deputy PM.