Ajit Pawar walks out of NCP national convention

Ajit Pawar chose to leave when his turn to address the gathering was supposed to come and the party workers were eagerly waiting for his speech

Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events at the national convention of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Delhi, where party president Sharad Pawar was in attendance, his nephew and leader of the opposition Ajit Pawar left the dais when Maharashtra president Jayant Patil was delivering a speech.

“Everyone was curious (to speak at the national convention). I will speak in Maharashtra,” Ajit Pawar told reporters when asked about his move. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Ajit Pawar chose to leave when his turn to address the gathering was supposed to come and the party workers were eagerly waiting for his speech.

His cousin, and MP Supriya Sule, also went to convince him but he did not return until Pawar started his concluding speech. Ajit Pawar told reporters that he would speak in Maharashtra.

The development assumed significance as Jayant Patil openly expressed his discontent over Ajit Pawar’s elevation as leader of the opposition in the state Assembly. Patil was looking for the position and had also expressed his desire before the NCP supremo.

Patil was so furious that he was not ready to issue a letter to the Speaker for Ajit Pawar’s appointment as leader of the opposition and Praful Patel, the national general secretary had to call him twice for the same.

A two-day convention of the party concluded in the national capital on Sunday. All the leaders were supposed to address the crowd, including Ajit Pawar, who was supposed to give his speech before the NCP president.

The party workers gathered at the Talkatora stadium were demanding Ajit Pawar to come for the address. Soon after party MP Amol Kolhe concluded his speech, the workers again started shouting Ajit Pawar’s name but by then, Praful Patel insisted Jayant Patil speak for two more minutes.

In the beginning, Patil appeared to be not keen to speak but reached at the podium and started his address. That is when Ajit Pawar left the dais and Supriya Sule also went after him. As soon as Jayant Patil concluded his speech, Patel called Ajit Pawar’s name, saying now, on the popular demand, the leader of the opposition will address the gathering. However, Ajit Pawar was not there. Patel told the gathering that Ajit went to the washroom and will be on the dais before Pawar’s speech.

Meanwhile, flags of Rashtrawadi Yuvak Congress (youth wing) and student Congress and a Hindi song for the Haryana unit of the party were launched. At last, Pawar stood to give his concluding speech and Ajit Pawar did not return to the dais until Pawar’s speech was started.

“Everyone was curious (to speak at the national convention). I will speak in Maharashtra,” Ajit Pawar told reporters when asked about his move.