Pro-Pawar leader, Chhagan Bhujbal, told reporters here today that ``we will parade the legislators supporting us before the Speaker. We will make the MLAs supporting us stand on the stairs of Vidhan Bhawan's main entrance so that you (scribes) can ascertain our strength.''.

He said former minister Shivajirao Shendge and former MLA R M Patil had resigned from primary membership of Congress and joined Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Talking to reporters the rebel camp spokesperson Vasant Chavan said that the final decision regarding rebels' status will be taken by the Speaker and the Chairman in the first week of the Monsoon Session.There can be no litigation on that decision, he added. ``Only if the member is disqualified, the decision can be challenged as it will be infringement of the bonafide rights of the member'', Chavan said. Sharad Pawar, who is in the city since the last two days will leave for Delhi tonight, he said.

The expelled Congress leader met industrialists and leaders of various labour organisations at his residence Ramalaya in South Mumbai. When asked about the Congress party's objection to the symbol and tricolour and the prefix `Congress' used by the Nationalist Congress Party, Chavan said tricolour is used by Trinamool Congress and the Tamil Manila Congress while `Congress' is a common noun.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the MPCC today met the Speaker in the Legislative Assembly Dattaji Nalawade and urged him to prevent leaders of opposition Madhukar Pichad and Chhagan Bhujbal who have been expelled from the Congress from misusing their office.

A release issued by MPCC stated that the Speaker assured thedelegation that he would take a decision regarding the legislators expelled from the Congress soon. The delegation was led by Congress whip in the Legislative Assembly Rohidas Patil and prominent among those who were present included MPCC general secretary Kripashankar Singh, Ashok Chavan and MPCC vice president Ulhas Pawar.

He's a BJP ally in disguise, says Chavan

PUNE: Former Union Home Minister Shankarrao Chavan today dismissed the Nationalist Congress Party floated by expelled Congress leader Sharad Pawar as a ``Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally in disguise''.

Till the time of the fall of the bjp-led government, Pawar had been of the view that an alternative government could be provided by Sonia Gandhi, Chavan told reporters here today. However, it remains a mystery as to what led Pawar, in a matter of just two or three days, to adopt a diametrically opposite viewpoint, Chavan asked.

By raising the issue of debarring persons of foreign origin from holding high office, Pawar has onlylent voice to the BJP.