Maharashtra Assembly Speaker on Thursday described his order recognising the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction as the real party as tenable, sustainable, and based on the principles established by the Supreme Court.

Talking to reporters after delivering the verdict, Narwekar said all the guidelines laid down by the apex court were adhered to.

“A reasoned and justifiable order has been delivered today. This verdict is tenable, sustainable and justified. It has been given on the basis of the sound principles established in accordance with the guidelines given by the apex court and disqualification rules,” Narwekar said.

Reacting to the criticism by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP group and Shiv Sena (UBT), Narwekar said those who don’t know about the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with anti-defection provisions, can make such a statement.

MP Supriya Sule from the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) termed Narwekar’s ruling "laughable and copy-paste" of what he had done in the Shiv Sena case where the factions led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray had filed disqualification petitions.

An invisible power is actively trying to finish off Shiv Sena and NCP, two important state-based parties, she said.

“They can't talk on merit. They should comment on the difference between dissent and defection, inter-party dispute and voluntary giving up of party membership,” Narwekar said.

The speaker also sarcastically quipped that lawmaker Jitendra Awhad of the Sharad Pawar-led party, as well as Shiv Sena UBT leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray, were “constitutional experts”.

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