Ajit Pawar’s last phone call was on communal unity
“We are taking all the castes and communities together,” Ajit Pawar is heard saying in an audio clip released to the media on Wednesday
MUMBAI: Just minutes before his plane went down, Ajit Pawar spoke of inclusivity in local body elections, in what is believed to be his last phone call before the crash on January 28.
The call was made by the former deputy chief minister and NCP chief to a party functionary in Baramati, where he was to land, to campaign for upcoming elections. “We are taking all the castes and communities together,” Ajit Pawar is heard saying in an audio clip released to the media on Wednesday.
The audio recording has been released by the NCP just three days ahead of the third phase of local body elections, to zilla parishads and panchayat samitis, across the state.
Shrijeet Pawar said in Baramati that he had received a call from the NCP chief at 8.37am, minutes before the plane crashed near the Baramati airstrip. A relative of Ajit Pawar, he shared a screenshot of his phone log, saying the NCP leader had probably called him in response to a text message he had sent him earlier that morning. In his message, Shrijeet had suggested that the Mali (gardener) community be given representation in the upcoming zilla parishad elections.
“As soon as his phone was within network range, he must have received my message and called me from the aircraft to share his thoughts,” said Shrijeet.
{{/usCountry}}“As soon as his phone was within network range, he must have received my message and called me from the aircraft to share his thoughts,” said Shrijeet.
{{/usCountry}}“I have already appointed Digambar Durgade, chairman of an entire bank, and he comes from the Mali community. You are reacting when you know nothing. We are taking all the castes and communities together,” Ajit Pawar can be heard saying.
{{/usCountry}}“I have already appointed Digambar Durgade, chairman of an entire bank, and he comes from the Mali community. You are reacting when you know nothing. We are taking all the castes and communities together,” Ajit Pawar can be heard saying.
{{/usCountry}}When Shrijeet said he had merely shared what he felt, Ajit Pawar can be heard responding, “I agree, you are right. But I have already given a Zilla Parishad ticket to the Mali community. That seat falls under OBC reservation. Other parties fielded candidates from other communities.”
{{/usCountry}}When Shrijeet said he had merely shared what he felt, Ajit Pawar can be heard responding, “I agree, you are right. But I have already given a Zilla Parishad ticket to the Mali community. That seat falls under OBC reservation. Other parties fielded candidates from other communities.”
{{/usCountry}}The call lasted 58 seconds.
{{/usCountry}}The call lasted 58 seconds.
{{/usCountry}}Shrijeet said Pawar’s words reflected his lifelong commitment to equality and social justice. “I have shared the recording to ensure that Maharashtra gets to know what Ajit Dada had stood for until his last breath.”
{{/usCountry}}Shrijeet said Pawar’s words reflected his lifelong commitment to equality and social justice. “I have shared the recording to ensure that Maharashtra gets to know what Ajit Dada had stood for until his last breath.”
{{/usCountry}}Durgade said, “I feel like crying as he is not alive to take the names of party workers like me. Party workers would get very happy when he mentioned their name.”
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, former NCP minister Dharmraobaba Atram told the media that if the two NCP factions were to resume merger talks, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) would have to accept Sunetra Pawar’s leadership. Sunetra, who has taken her deceased husband’s place as deputy chief minister, is also tipped to become the new party president, a vacuum left by Ajit Pawar.
“Our national president will be Sunetra vahini (sister-in-law in Marathi) and we will decide the role Supriya tai (Sule) will have in the new arrangement. We will continue to stay within the NDA coalition. Our party symbol is the clock and the group led by Sharad Pawar will have to come under this symbol,” Atram said on Wednesday.
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