In a big setback for Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Speaker concluded that Ajit Pawar's faction is the real NCP. His decision was based on the fact that the larger chunk of NCP MLAs, 41 in total, supported Ajit Pawar, whereas only 12 supported the Sharad Pawar faction. This comes almost a month after Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narvekar ruled in favour of the Shinde faction, declaring them as the 'real' Shiv Sena. Is the Opposition in Maharashtra decimated even before the Lok Sabha elections?