More than two years after a high-profile political split, the Ajit Pawar-led and Sharad Pawar-led factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have decided to come together for the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections.

Addressing an election rally, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the two factions had united specifically for the civic polls. Referring to their election symbols, he stated that the ‘clock’ and the ‘tutari’ had come together, signalling a reunion of the Pawar family for the local body elections.

The ‘clock’ symbol is used by Ajit Pawar’s faction, which has been recognised by the Election Commission as the original NCP, while Sharad Pawar’s group contests elections under the ‘tutari’ or curved trumpet symbol.

How the NCP split unfolded

The NCP was founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999 and remained a major force in Maharashtra politics for over two decades. Ajit Pawar, his nephew, emerged as one of the party’s most influential leaders and served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister.

The party split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar, along with several senior leaders, broke away to join the BJP-Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition in Maharashtra. At the time, Ajit Pawar questioned Sharad Pawar’s continuation as party chief, citing the need for generational change within leadership.

Following the split, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, aligning his faction with the ruling alliance, while Sharad Pawar’s faction chose to remain in the opposition.

Reasons cited for the breakaway

Explaining his decision during an NCP conclave in Nagpur, Ajit Pawar said he had separated from the undivided party to ensure political stability and development in the state, even if it strained personal and family relationships. He maintained that his move was not driven by power or position.

Ajit Pawar also publicly criticised Sharad Pawar’s age at the time, questioning when leadership responsibilities would be passed on. In response, Sharad Pawar asserted that age did not diminish his effectiveness and said he remained active regardless of whether he was in his eighties or nineties.

Two factions, two paths

After the split, the Election Commission recognised Ajit Pawar’s faction as the official NCP, allowing it to retain the ‘clock’ symbol. Sharad Pawar’s faction continued independently as NCP (SP), adopting the ‘tutari’ symbol.

Both groups contested subsequent elections separately. After the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar acknowledged that distancing himself from family members had been a mistake, setting the stage for the current reconciliation ahead of the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls.

The Supreme Court on Monday put on hold its own earlier order that had accepted a revised definition of the Aravalli mountain range near Delhi, and decided to seek a fresh assessment from an independent panel of experts. The move comes amid concerns raised by environmental activists and scientists that the new definition could weaken protections and allow illegal or unregulated mining in ecologically sensitive areas.

A vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court considered it necessary to keep both the recommendations of the earlier committee and the court’s previous directions in abeyance until further examination. The bench underlined that an impartial and independent expert opinion was essential before any implementation of the revised definition.

The court ordered the constitution of a new high-powered committee to examine issues linked to the updated definition of the Aravalli range. This panel will assess whether the revised description has expanded non-Aravalli areas in a manner that could facilitate continued unregulated mining and whether such exclusions risk ecological degradation.

Notices have been issued to the Union government and the four concerned states — Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, and Haryana. The matter will be taken up again on January 21.

The issue gained momentum after protests erupted over the Centre’s notification of the new definition, with critics alleging that it was framed without adequate scientific assessment or public consultation. On Saturday, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the controversy surrounding the change.

During the hearing, the Centre pointed out that the court had earlier accepted a comprehensive plan for sustainable mining, prepared in compliance with a November direction that barred new mining activity without such a framework. However, the Chief Justice observed that parts of the committee report and the court’s observations appeared to be misconstrued, making clarifications necessary before any step forward.

The bench said the new committee would carry out a detailed identification of territories proposed to be excluded from the Aravalli area and evaluate whether this could compromise the ecological integrity of the range.

On Christmas Day, the Centre had announced a complete ban on granting new mining leases in the Aravallis. For mines already in operation, state governments have been directed to ensure strict adherence to environmental safeguards in line with Supreme Court orders.

Stretching about 670 kilometres from near Delhi through Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, the Aravalli range is considered India’s oldest fold-mountain system, with origins dating back nearly two billion years.

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Delhi High Court’s order that had suspended the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case. With this decision, Sengar will continue to remain in jail.

The apex court passed the order while hearing a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is the investigating and prosecuting agency in the case. The agency had challenged the High Court’s decision to suspend Sengar’s sentence and grant him conditional bail.

Bail order put on hold after CBI challenge

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had suspended Sengar’s life term awarded for the rape of a woman who was a minor at the time of the crime. Although bail was granted, Sengar was not expected to be released immediately as he is also serving a separate sentence in connection with the custodial death of the survivor’s father.

While staying the High Court order, the Supreme Court observed that it has a responsibility towards the survivor. The court issued notice on the CBI’s petition and granted four weeks’ time to Sengar to respond.

Survivor allowed to intervene

The Supreme Court also allowed the Unnao rape survivor to intervene in the proceedings through her petition. This ensures that her concerns will be formally heard during the hearing of the case.

The matter will now be examined further by the apex court after replies are filed by the concerned parties.