Last Updated: April 26, 2024, 21:14 IST
Sharad Pawar with his daughter Supriya Sule. (PTI File)
“I proposed Uddhav’s name for the post of CM…I was not in favour of supporting the BJP. My party MLAs were harassed by agencies and they wanted to join the BJP to avoid actions against them. Development of Baramati was done by me,” said Sharad Pawar, in an exclusive interview to News18 Lokmat
Amid the campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar, head of one faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) post the split, in an exclusive interview with News18 Lokmat, said that the development of Baramati was done by him and not his nephew and head of the other faction and deputy CM, Ajit.
“Development of Baramati is done by me,” he said.
In June 2023, Ajit Pawar claimed control over the NCP as he became the second deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, and eight other MLAs were inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, in a reminder of his swearing-in with Fadnavis in 2019, which eventually fizzled out. His uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar termed it “robbery.” A legal battle ensued, which is still going on in the SC. The EC, however, recognised the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the real Nationalist Congress Party and granted them the “clock” symbol. The EC gave the name ‘Nationalist Congress Party — Sharadchandra Pawar’ to Pawar senior’s faction, with ‘a man blowing trumpet’ as the symbol for the Rajya Sabha elections.
In Maharashtra, the elections are being fought between two alliances – the ruling Mahayuti comprising BJP, NCP (Ajit Pawar) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) faction and the MVA or Maha Aghadi, with Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Congress.
ON PUTRI MOH
In an interview earlier, Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah said that the NCP was split owing to Pawar’s “putri moh”. “I differ from the remarks that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke parties. We have not broken any party. Kai sari partiyan apne putra-putri ke moh me tut gayi…main phir se doharata hoon ki NCP aur Shiv Sena, dono partiyan putra, putri moh mein tut gayi,” Shah had said.
Pawar responded to it: “I have made other women leaders ministers, but avoided my daughter [Supriya Sule]. I don’t buy this theory,” he said.
ON MAHA POLITICS
According to Pawar, he had proposed that Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray be made the Chief Minister. “Not him, I proposed Uddhav’s name for the post of CM…I did not backstab anyone…”
On why his party split, Pawar said, “I was not in favour of supporting the BJP. My party MLAs were harassed by agencies and they wanted to join the BJP to avoid actions against them.”
ON LS POLLS, RAM MANDIR
When asked what was the important issue this election, he said, “The social fabric of the nation is being damaged. It is an issue of concern.”
Reacting to Shah’s comment that Pawar should apologise to farmers’ widows, he said, “Farmers’ suicides are increasing in Modi’s regime.”
About Ayodhya Ram Mandir, he said, “I don’t need to visit Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir to display my faith. I visit temples and devis in Maharashtra. Anyway, Ram Mandir is incomplete, will visit once done.”
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