"You're 83, Will You Ever Stop?": Ajit Pawar Asks Uncle Sharad From Rally

Mumbai:

All legislators of Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) wanted to join hands with the BJP when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said today.

Ajit Pawar, who now leads a rebellion against his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, said the MLAs had signed a letter, confirming their intention to tie up with the BJP.

"We all asked Sharad Pawar to accept our stand or else there will be issues in our constituency. A committee comprising me, Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil was formed to speak to BJP. At the time, our senior (Sharad Pawar) asked me not to go as the media will get a whiff. He told me to speak over the phone. The Eknath Shinde government had still not been formed," Ajit Pawar said.

The 63-year-old leader, who joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in a shock move this Sunday, said the NCP held five meetings with BJP on government formation in 2019 when long-time allies BJP and Shiv Sena parted ways over the Chief Minister post.

"In 2019, we had 5 meetings with BJP to form the government and all of a sudden, I was informed that there won't be any alliance with BJP, we will go with Shiv Sena," he said.

"They (Sharad Pawar camp) called Shiv Sena a casteist party in 2017 and formed a government with them in 2019," Ajit Pawar said, adding, "I don't know why I am being made a villain."

Ajit Pawar said that new people should be given a chance to lead the party. "In other parties, leaders retire after a age. You should also give chance to new people. If we make some mistakes, tell us. Your age is 83, will you ever stop or not? You give us blessings," he said.

Without naming his cousin and MP Supriya Sule, whose elevation as NCP's working president was seen as a snub to him, Ajit Pawar said, "Is it our fault that we weren't born in a powerful family?"

Ajit Pawar also referred to the veteran leader's shock resignation - and his retraction two days later.

"On May 2, he said that I will step down and make a committee under Praful Patel, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Bhujbal, Mushrif etc. That time he wanted to make Supriya Sule as national president. We were ready for that too. If you wanted to take back the resignation, why did you resign in the first place?" Ajit Pawar asked.

The factional war between the veteran and his nephew has now reached the Election Commission. While the Sharad Pawar camp has stressed that he continues to lead the party, the rebel faction has made a claim for the party name and symbol.

The Sharad Pawar camp has also written to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, seeking disqualification of nine MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, who joined the Eknath Shinde-led government Sunday.