‘Run after power but…’: Sharad Pawar skewers NCP rebels at Beed show of strength

Sharad Pawar, who also delivered multiple warnings to the rebels in course of his speech at Beed, said people who voted the NCP rebel legislators know “which button needs to be pushed”

MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday skewered leaders of the NCP’s rebel faction led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for switching sides, saying it was all right to run after power but they should at least, remember the people because of whom they have reached their current position.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar addresses a public meeting in Beed on Thursday. (ANI)

He also warned them that the people will show them their place in the elections.

“Run after power but at least show humanity for those because of whom you have become something (in your life), if you don’t do this then people will teach you a lesson,” Pawar said, reprimanding his nephew.

“My complaint is that the people elected you (in assembly elections 2019) by defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Now you are sitting with the same BJP against whom you have come to power (in the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray),” Pawar said at the Swabhiman rally held in Beed on Thursday, his remarks aimed at the politicians who sided with his nephew Ajit Pawar and the ruling BJP.

Pawar said the existing situation will not last forever. “Tomorrow when people again get a chance to vote, they know which button needs to be pushed and put you (in your place).”

Pawar said the rebel faction should not underestimate the power of the people. “We know what happens when people become united and we have seen many leaders getting defeated in the past,” he underlined.

The Beed rally marks the resumption of Pawar’s statewide tour to rebuild the party which took a hit when nephew Ajit Pawar teamed up with the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and Bharatiya Janata Party government. A majority of the NCP legislators walked out with Ajit; he has also claimed the NCP’s name and election symbol in requests filed before the Election Commission of India.

Sharad Pawar’s next rally will be held in Jalgaon on September 4. He is also expected to later hold rallies in Pune and Kolhapur.

Pawar started the statewide tour from Yeola in Nashik where Pawar held his first rally but he had to pause the political meetings following heavy rains and the monsoon session of the Parliament that concluded on August 11.

Thursday’s rally in Beed was also a show of strength for Sharad Pawar as he entered the district with a cavalcade of around 700 vehicles, and heavy construction machines were used to shower flowers on the veteran leader and his convoy.

He had started his journey from Aurangabad at 9pm and reached Beed 120km away only by afternoon. On his way, he often stopped to meet people and supporters who were waiting along the road for him

Sharad Pawar’s rally in Beed was also important because the NCP lawmaker from the seat, Dhananjay Munde, shifted to the Ajit Pawar camp and was appointed state agriculture minister. When Dhananjay Munde came back to the constituency on July 13 after taking oath, a grand welcome awaited him in the constituency.

In his speech on Thursday, Sharad Pawar took sharp swipes at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who he, among other things, faulted for not visiting Manipur which has faced ethnic violence for three months.

Turning to the BJP, he alleged that they were pulling down elected governments by misusing powers. “You (BJP) talk about a stable government and pull down the elected government by misusing the power of the central government… It is time to rein in those behaving improperly and misusing government powers,” the 82-year-old leader said.