Mumbai: Veteran politician and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said he was personally relieved and emotionally satisfied that Sunetra Pawar has taken oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, stepping into public responsibility after the tragic death of her husband, Ajit Pawar.
Ajit Pawar, who was serving as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, lost his life on January 28 when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. Following the sudden tragedy, Sunetra Pawar was sworn in to fill the vacancy, a move that has drawn attention across the state’s political landscape.
Reacting to her induction, Sharad Pawar said the family and party were currently focused on standing together in a difficult time rather than engaging in political calculations. “At present, our entire focus is on taking care of everyone and moving forward together with those who are grieving. As of now, there is no discussion at all about any political decisions,” he said.
Addressing speculation around a possible merger of the two factions of the NCP, Pawar clarified that earlier talks on the issue were not conducted by the current Maharashtra Chief Minister. “Merger discussions were held between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. Chief Minister Fadnavis was not involved in the talks. What right did he have to talk about it?” Pawar remarked, pushing back against recent political narratives.
The senior leader also shared a deeply personal moment, revealing that he missed Parliament on Budget Day for the first time in nearly six decades. “Whether it is the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly or the Lok Sabha of the country, I have been a member for the past 58 years. In all these 58 years, I have never been absent from Parliament on Budget Day,” he said. “Unfortunately, due to an incident in my family, I could not be present in Parliament on the day of the Budget this time.”
Commenting on the Union Budget, Pawar expressed concern over its potential impact on ordinary citizens. “From whatever I have read, I can see two or three issues. A new type of tax has been introduced, which appears likely to cause difficulties for the common people,” he said, adding that stronger measures were expected to boost development activities.
Pawar also weighed in on the recently announced India–US trade agreement, cautioning against drawing conclusions without full disclosure of its terms. He voiced particular concern for the agricultural sector. “From what has been made public by the US so far, it appears that arrangements have been made to allow them to export in the agricultural sector, which is a matter of concern for India,” he said.
Highlighting the imbalance between the two economies, Pawar warned of possible consequences for Indian farmers. “The US is a powerful country with greater economic strength. If it exports any important agricultural product to other countries, it will certainly have an impact on those countries and their farming communities. There is an expectation that such a situation should not arise in India’s agricultural sector,” he added.
