Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), claimed after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections that certain things were done to expose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and demonstrate how far it would go to gain power.
In response to inquiries from media over BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis's assertion that Pawar had agreed to form government with the BJP but backed out at the last minute, the seasoned politician addressed the issue.
It was true that BJP leaders had met the NCP leadership and had discussions on several things, Pawar said here. But he (Fadnavis) himself said yesterday that I changed the decision (to go with the BJP) two days earlier (before the swearing-in). If I had changed the decision, what was the reason for going ahead and taking the oath of office, and that too so discreetly in the early morning, the NCP chief asked.
Had they (Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) had the NCP’s support, wouldn’t the government have survived? The government fell, and he had to resign, Pawar further said. Certain things were done (at that time) to expose before the public how far they (BJP) can go for power.There was a need to bring out that they could not live without power, the NCP chief said cryptically.
His father-in-law (Test player Sadu Shinde) was a googly bowler, and he himself (Pawar) was the chairman of the ICC, he said, adding, so, without playing cricket, I knew where and when to bowl a googly. Pawar also said that instead of making unnecessary statements, Fadnavis, who is also home minister, should focus on ensuring women’s security in the state.
Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis in a recent interview to a news channel claimed that Pawar had agreed to form government with the BJP in 2019. But the NCP supremo backed off after three-four days, he claimed.