Launching a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said he help Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was Gujarat CM without any partiality.
Speaking at the public rally in Maharashtra's Baramati, where his daughter Supriya Sule and deputy CM Ajit Pawar's Sunetra Pawar will lock horns.
"When I was the Union agriculture minister, I helped the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi without any partiality, but today the same person is making personal comments against me. Today, if someone comments against the PM, then action is taken against them. Jharkhand CM spoke against the PM, and he was sent to jail. Arvind Kejriwal who made a statement against the PM has also been sent to jail. This is not democracy, it is dictatorship. Today, the power has been centralised in the hands of Modi, we need to release it from him," said Pawar.
Sharad Pawar in Baramati
Pawar said that the attack against the Delhi Chief Minister or the Jharkhand Chief Minister and other political leaders from various states is an attack on democracy and our Constitution.
This comes ahead of PM Modi's visit in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district on Monday at 5 today. Prime Minister will address public rally to kick-start Lok Sabha election campaigning in the state for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Modi will hold at least 10 rallies in the state, starting with Chandrapur on April 8.
Last Week, NCP-SP had announced the names of seven candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. The party has fielded Suresh Mhatre from Bhiwandi's seat, and Bajrang Sonawane will be the candidate from the Beed seat.
NCP(SCP) has also fielded Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat. She will contest against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar. Supriya Sule is the sitting MP from the seat since 2009.
The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh, known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats.