Ajit doesn’t get opportunity to speak at PM event, Sule says insult to Maharashtra

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis along with Chief Trustee of Dehu Temple Trust Nitin More were allotted three minutes each to speak

Pune Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar did not get an opportunity to speak during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme at Dehu where he inaugurated a ‘shila’ (rock) temple at the existing Sant Tukaram Maharaj Mandir and later addressed devotees at nearby venue. This ‘snub’ led NCP leader Supriya Sule airing displeasure on behalf of the party.

Only two persons besides Modi spoke at the the 90-minute programme which was attended by about 50,000 people (HT Photo)

Only two persons besides Modi spoke at the the 90-minute programme which was attended by about 50,000 people. Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis along with Chief Trustee of Dehu Temple Trust Nitin More were allotted three minutes each to speak. Others who shared dais with Modi at Dehu were Ajit Pawar, BJP state unit chief Chandrakant Patil and BJP Spiritual Cell head Tushar Bhosale.

NCP MP and Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya termed the ‘snub’ as “an insult of the state” adding that while Fadnavis, in his capacity as opposition leader, as given airtime while Ajit Pawar who attended the event as part of protocol, wasn’t allowed to speak. “Ajit Pawar’s office had requested (the PMO) that he be allowed to speak at the event as he is the Deputy CM and also the guardian minister of the district. The PMO did not approve it,” she told reporters in Amravati. “This is very serious, painful, shocking and not justified. This is an insult to Maharashtra,” the Lok Sabha member said.