‘Ajit Pawar should have approached me’: NCP’s Sharad Pawar after nephew’s taunt

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said NCP rebel-turned-Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar should have spoken to him if he had any problems.

Sharad Pawar’s statement comes shortly after his nephew pulled no punches as he told his estranged uncle that it was time for him to retire and hand over the baton of the NCP to him.

Addressing NCP leaders in Mumbai, Sharad Pawar, “Ajit Pawar should have spoken to me if he had any problems. If he had something on his mind he could have approached me.”

The NCP veteran also asserted that the election symbol of the party is with them, and “it will not go anywhere”.

The Election Commission has reportedly received a petition from Ajit Pawar staking claim to NCP and the party symbol. News agency ANI reported citing sources that said the Election Commission has also received a caveat from Jayant Patil, who is with the Sharad Pawar group. He also informed the panel that they have initiated a disqualification process against nine MLAs who joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state on Sunday.

“People and party workers who brought us to power are with us,” the NCP president said, adding that “we don’t have a hunger for power and we will keep working for the people”.

The senior Pawar also claimed that they weren’t taken into confidence by the MLAs who decided to split. The Ajit faction has not followed any procedure, he alleged.

“You (BJP) called the NCP corrupt. So, why have you allied with the NCP now?… Whatever happened to Uddhav Thackeray has been repeated,” Sharad Pawar also took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Today, the entire country is watching us…This meeting is historic for NCP. We have to keep marching ahead despite the hurdles in our way,” the NCP chief said.

The NCP led by Sharad Pawar held a meeting of its members at YB Chavan Auditorium in Mumbai while Ajit Pawar was at a meeting of NCP MPs, MLAs, MLCs, district heads and state delegates at Mumbai Education Trust (MET) Bandra.

The parallel meetings came after the two factions announced crucial appointments to assert their control over the party.

The NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar has taken affidavits from party workers to show their allegiance at MET Bandra.

“You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar),” Ajit Pawar said.

“BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. This allows the new generation to rise. You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings,” Ajit Pawar said.

“You are 83, aren’t you going to stop? Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life,” the deputy chief minister added.

Sharad Pawar loyalists raised slogans in his support at YB Chavan Centre.

The crisis in Nationalist Congress Party was triggered by Ajit Pawar switching sides on Sunday and joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government as Deputy Chief Minister. Eighth other NCP MLAs took oath on Sunday with Pawar as ministers.