PUNE: “Had I been born in the senior’s (Sharad Pawar) house, I would have naturally become the national president, and the entire party (NCP) would have been under my control. Although not in the senior’s family, I was still born in his brother’s family,” Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who has been accused of “stealing his uncle’s party”, said Friday at a rally in Baramati, while refraining from directly naming Pawar Senior.
Ajit’s outpouring came a day after assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, ruling in his favour, recognised his faction as the real NCP. He told party workers that his family had been isolated in the Pawar clan after his decision to split from Sharad Pawar. “He (Sharad Pawar) is the only senior in the clan and there is a possibility that barring my family, everyone will campaign against me,” Ajit said.
Taking a dig at cousin and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, without naming her, the NCP leader said: “Some people are defaming me saying that I joined the ruling alliance as I was facing corruption charges…this person (Sule) never became a minister, so why would anybody level corruption charges (against her)? Only those who work hard face criticism.”
Attacking her further, Ajit said leaders cannot serve people by making speeches in Parliament. “Some workers told me that those leaders have started visiting tea stalls to meet people and have started making calls to those they had not spoken to for years,” he said, taking a jibe at Sule over her recent social media posts.
The deputy CM hinted at fielding his wife Sunetra as a LS candidate from NCP bastion Baramati. “It will be the first election for the candidate I will name for Baramati seat…cast your ballot as if you are voting for Ajit Pawar,” he appealed to the people.
Ajit’s outpouring came a day after assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, ruling in his favour, recognised his faction as the real NCP. He told party workers that his family had been isolated in the Pawar clan after his decision to split from Sharad Pawar. “He (Sharad Pawar) is the only senior in the clan and there is a possibility that barring my family, everyone will campaign against me,” Ajit said.
Taking a dig at cousin and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, without naming her, the NCP leader said: “Some people are defaming me saying that I joined the ruling alliance as I was facing corruption charges…this person (Sule) never became a minister, so why would anybody level corruption charges (against her)? Only those who work hard face criticism.”
Attacking her further, Ajit said leaders cannot serve people by making speeches in Parliament. “Some workers told me that those leaders have started visiting tea stalls to meet people and have started making calls to those they had not spoken to for years,” he said, taking a jibe at Sule over her recent social media posts.
The deputy CM hinted at fielding his wife Sunetra as a LS candidate from NCP bastion Baramati. “It will be the first election for the candidate I will name for Baramati seat…cast your ballot as if you are voting for Ajit Pawar,” he appealed to the people.