Should Have Parted Ways With Sharad Pawar Back in 2004, Says Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has expressed regret, stating that he should have distanced himself from his uncle, Sharad Pawar, back in 2004 itself when the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) gave up its claim on the chief minister's post while forming a government in the state in alliance with Congress.

Addressing a campaign rally in Indapur, Pune district, for his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting against incumbent MP and his cousin Supriya Sule of the NCP in the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, Ajit Pawar highlighted a perceived double standard in political interpretations. He noted that when his uncle made unexpected political maneuvers, they were labeled as strategic moves, whereas his own decisions were often characterized as betrayals.

I did not question him (Sharad Pawar) when he toppled the Vasantdada Patil government (in 1978) by not heeding the advice of Yashwantrao Chavan who had given him his first opportunity in politics or when he questioned Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins in 1999 and split the Congress, and then aligned with the Sonia Gandhi-led party later in that year to form a government in the state, Ajit said.

Ajit Pawar said his commitment to ensuring that Sharad Pawar retained control over all cooperative institutions, stating, "I always listened to him so much so that my hair turned grey." He recounted the scenario in 2004, asserting that despite the NCP securing more seats in the Maharashtra assembly elections, their ally Congress was prepared to offer the chief minister's post to Sharad Pawar's party.

"Late Vilasrao Deshmukh told me that Madam (Sonia Gandhi) has said Congress has no right to claim the CM post. He asked who will be the CM; me, late R R Patil or Chhagan Bhujbal. Let NCP announce its CM and Congress will take the deputy chief minister's post.

Baramati, traditionally a stronghold of the Pawar family, is scheduled for elections on May 7.