“We Are Not Saints”: Ajit Pawar Defends BJP Alliance

Pune: On the 26th foundation day of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the growing divide between the two factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar was on full display, with both leaders holding separate celebrations in Pune. Amid rising speculation about a possible reunification of the factions, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar used the occasion to defend his political choices and outline his faction’s path forward.

Addressing supporters at his group’s event, Ajit Pawar pushed back against criticism of his decision to break away in 2023 and align with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). “Just sitting in the opposition, raising slogans and taking out protest marches is not enough. We are not saints. We are here to give a direction, address people’s issues, and practice the politics of inclusion,” he declared.

Ajit Pawar insisted that joining the BJP was not a betrayal of the NCP’s founding ideology. He reminded his audience that the NCP had earlier joined hands with the Shiv Sena in 2019, which also required ideological compromises. “Some people question our decision to join hands with the BJP and the Mahayuti coalition. But didn’t we align with Shiv Sena in the past? Even then, adjustments were made,” he said.

The Deputy CM sought to draw parallels with other political leaders who had aligned with the NDA, citing Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee as examples. “Our aim is clear—development and upliftment of the underprivileged,” he added.

Ajit Pawar also addressed the faction’s disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, admitting the results were a cause for introspection. He urged party workers to stay motivated and prepare for upcoming local body polls, announcing that state-wide rallies would begin within the next one-and-a-half months as part of a renewed outreach strategy.