‘No Offer Made By Ajit Pawar’: Sharad Pawar Clarifies As MVA Allies Question NCP’s Loyalty

Twitter: @the_news_21

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednseday addressed the assertion made by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, stating that his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, did not inform him about any offer, as claimed. Wadettiwar, who leads the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the Chief Minister position to Ajit Pawar, contingent on him bringing NCP President Sharad Pawar along. This revelation emerged shortly after the ‘secret’ meeting between the two Pawars took place last week.

Pawar, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, said, “I have no knowledge of Congress leaders giving such statements.”

“Ajit Pawar talked about no offer in the meeting,” Pawar said.

The previous week witnessed a stir in political circles when regional news channels broadcasted footage of Sharad Pawar visiting the residence of a Pune-based businessman on Saturday. Subsequently, Ajit Pawar was seen departing from the same location, igniting speculation about a clandestine meeting between the two.

However, the prominent figures of the NCP, who had a falling out earlier this year, attempted to downplay the significance of the meeting.

On the other hand, Sharad Pawar targeted the saffron party and said it wanted to spew hate in the society. “The Modi government is taking such decisions, due to which disputes and bitterness will increase on the basis of caste in the society,” he said.

He also conveyed his intention to hold a rally in Beed district of Maharashtra and said that his dialogue with the workers is “going on continuously.”

Earlier in the day, Prithviraj Chavan, the former Chief Minister and Congress leader, was cited by certain media reports stating that the BJP had been making attempts to entice Sharad Pawar away from the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition by proposing a role in the Union Cabinet.

Chavan indicated that the secretive meeting between the Pawars at a businessman’s bungalow centered around this proposition. He asserted that the senior Pawar had been presented with the option of the agriculture ministry and the position of Chairman of the NITI Aayog.

Furthermore, Chavan revealed that central Cabinet positions were also extended to Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, and NCP leader Jayant Patil, both of whom were present at the aforementioned meeting. Chavan clarified that Sharad Pawar had declined the BJP’s offer.

Previously, there were indications that the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) were considering an alternative strategy, often referred to as “Plan B,” which involves participating in the upcoming 2024 general election without the involvement of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar.

Expressing their dissatisfaction, both the Congress and the Sena (UBT) have openly expressed concerns about the frequent interactions between the Pawars. Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray is expected to engage in a conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss the MVA alliance and Pawar’s recent activities. Patole, who engaged in a meeting lasting over two and a half hours with Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday, has already communicated with Gandhi on the matter.