MCA to appeal civil court's Pawar order in HC

The managing committee of the MCA, which met yesterday on an urgent basis, has decided to appeal the City Civil court's order restraining Sharad Pawar from taking charge as president in the Bombay High Court.

Sharad Pawar

"We have decided to move to the High Court to challenge the decision. Ravi Savant (one of the vice-presidents) will look into the day-to-day affairs of the Association. There is no interim president," MCA's Joint Honorary Secretary Dr PV Shetty said.

Surprisingly, Savant was quoted as saying by PTI yesterday that the managing committee had appointed him to take presidential decisions of the MCA in the interim.

However, a key member of the other faction of the MCA, Cricket First group, said: "The day-to-day affairs of the MCA would be looked after both vice-presidents (Savant and Vijay Patil). Savant will only chair the meetings as their group has the majority and have taken the decision."

The MCA had rejected senior politician Gopinath Munde's nomination for the president's post during their biennial polls last month. The Bhartiya Janata Party leader had then moved the court challenging MCA's decision.

The City Civil court on Tuesday passed an order in Munde's favour, but gave MCA a week's time to challenge the decision before the trial began.

According to MCA's election bylaws, a candidate's permanent address should be Mumbai. Munde's nomination was rejected as his electoral address was Beed.

Pawar, who has got unanimous support from all three groups, was consequently elected unopposed.u00a0