‘Family is family, Pawar saheb and I are not separated,’ says Ajit

After sharing the dais with him in Pune, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that he and NCP chief Sharad Pawar were not separated. Ajit was speaking in Shirur, Pune, at a gathering where he inaugurated a memorial of former BJP MLA Baburao Pacharne who died last year

Mumbai: After sharing the dais with him in Pune, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that he and NCP chief Sharad Pawar were not separated. Ajit was speaking in Shirur, Pune, at a gathering where he inaugurated a memorial of former BJP MLA Baburao Pacharne who died last year.

“I remember during an election, Popatrao (Pawar) was Saheb’s (Sharad Pawar) candidate and Baburao (Pacharne) was my candidate. That does not mean we were separated. We were not separated then and not even today,” Ajit said. “There is no need to worry about it,” he added with a smile amid applause from the gathering. (Hindustan Times)

The statement came hours after Ajit and his uncle attended an award ceremony where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Lokmanya Tilak Award in Pune. Pawar attended the program despite unease in the opposition coalition and requests were made to him not to attend it.

“I remember during an election, Popatrao (Pawar) was Saheb’s (Sharad Pawar) candidate and Baburao (Pacharne) was my candidate. That does not mean we were separated. We were not separated then and not even today,” Ajit said. “There is no need to worry about it,” he added with a smile amid applause from the gathering.

Later, when asked by mediapersons, Ajit clarified that they are together as a family and are free to take different political stands.

“Family is family. When my aunt (Sharad Pawar’s wife Pratibha) underwent a surgery I had gone to meet her (on July 15, days after the split). Our political stand can be different but communication within the family is a separate thing,” the deputy chief minister said.

Last month, Ajit, who split from NCP, and his rebel MLAs met Pawar multiple times to convince him to join the BJP-led NDA. Most NCP MLAs and senior leaders have sided with Ajit who joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on July 2. They have also staked a claim on the NCP name and election symbol before the election commission.

Despite that, no NCP leader including senior Pawar has attacked Ajit thus far. There is complete silence from both the sides who have stopped targeting each other. Moreover, Ajit as finance minister also chose to allocate funds for NCP MLAs who are still loyal to senior Pawar. In the state Assembly, senior leaders from both factions can be seen laughing and chatting with each other.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan said that Pawar needs to clear the confusion. “First of all, attending an event organized by a non-government organization is not wrong. However, when the opposition has formed a coalition named INDIA, such an incident creates confusion and speculation. It would be much better if Pawar saheb clears his stand,” Chavan said.