Ajit Pawar addresses poll rally in Pandharpur where Covid norms ignored

PUNE Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar addressed a large gathering on Thursday in Pandharpur, where Covid norms went for a toss

PUNE Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar addressed a large gathering on Thursday in Pandharpur, where Covid norms went for a toss. Pawar was speaking at the campaign rally for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) nominee Bhagirath Bhalke.

The event was attended by at least 100 persons in a packed auditorium in Pandharpur. (HT Photo)

The event was attended by at least 100 persons in a packed auditorium in Pandharpur. During the programme, local leader Kalyan Kale joined the NCP. While Pawar himself had a mask on his face, many among the audience did not have masks, a violation of the rule.

While there was no case registered till evening, Arun Pawar, senior police inspector, Pandhapur police station, said that observers appointed by the tehsildar office will register a case of Covid-19 norms violation after going through all details.

When asked, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope was cautious in his reaction, saying that everyone needs to follow Covid norms in view of the current situation.

“There are elections in Pandharpur where Ajit Pawar addressed a meeting. Pawar is a senior leader and will not flout any norms on his own. There are times when it becomes difficult to control the crowd. However, I would like to reiterate that everyone needs to follow the Covid norms,” Tope said, speaking at press conference in Mumbai.

Earlier on March 22, local police booked an NCP functionary for alleged Covid-19 violations while organising a political event, which was also attended Ajit Pawar.

The event was held in Pandharpur and despite permission for 50 attendees, the crowd for the event was much larger.

Later, a case was registered against Sandip Mandave, president of NCP’s Pandharpur-Mangalvedha assembly seat, under section 188 of IPC.

NCP’s Bhalke, son of former MLA Bharat Bhalke, is its candidate for Pandharpur, and is pitted against BJP’s Samadhan Autade. The bypolls were necessitated for the Pandharpur-Mangalwedha seat after the demise of three- term NCP legislator Bharat Bhelke, in the last week of November