PM Modi to visit Pune, share dias with Sharad Pawar

Following major churn in Maharashtra politics, which saw Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders taking oath as ministers in the BJP-Shiv Sena government, all eyes will be on their visit

Amid a faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) joining hands with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) government in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar are likely to share dais for an event in Pune on August 1. Recently sworn-in deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is also likely to be present for the same function.

Despite being political rivals, Prime Minister and Sharad Pawar have shared the stage on multiple occasions. Back in 2016, Modi at an event in Pune had said he has no hesitation in accepting that Pawar held his hand and taught him to walk in his early days in Gujarat. (HT FILE PHOTO)

In Pune, PM Modi will be conferred with Lokmanya Tilak National Award for 2023 in recognition of his “supreme leadership” and for “awakening the feeling of patriotism among citizens”, organisers of the event Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust said on Monday.

Both the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Pawar senior have accepted the invitation, according to Rohit Tilak, great-grandson of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak and vice president of Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust.

“The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) will confer the Lokmanya Tilak National Award upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1, the 103rd death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak,” Trust president Deepak Tilak said in a press release.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has been invited to the programme as a chief guest, according to organisers.

The call to Prime Minister for confirmation for attending the award ceremony, interestingly, was made by Sharad Pawar himself days before Modi attacked NCP and subsequently, days later his nephew Ajit rebelled and took away the majority of party MLAs on July 2.

Earlier on June 25, the Prime Minister, while speaking in Madhya Pradesh recounted allegations of corruption against NCP members. Four days later on June 29, Sharad Pawar responded to the allegations.

However, when asked if his personal relations with Modi following allegations have turned sour, Pawar senior replied saying, opposition to Modi is not personal, it is political. Pawar senior also cited how he called Modi for Lokmanya Tilak National Award at the request of Rohit Tilak as the latter did not have direct access to the PMO.

“I called PM Modi and requested him to attend the event. He also accepted the request saying he will come here on August 1. But it is not known if his opinion has changed now, Pawar had then said in Pune. Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust later clarified that an invitation was officially sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, which had accepted it in principle, although Pawar was requested to confirm the presence of Modi.

“The Prime Minister has confirmed that he will come personally to receive this award on August 1, which is the 103rd death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak,” Rohit Tilak said, adding that Pawar senior has been invited as a chief guest to the award ceremony.

“Sharad Pawar has also confirmed his attendance at the function,” Tilak said.

All eyes will be on this programme in political circles as Pawar and Modi are both appearing on the same dais following major churn in Maharashtra politics, which saw Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders taking oath as ministers in the BJP-Shiv Sena government.

Despite being political rivals, Prime Minister and Sharad Pawar have shared the stage on multiple occasions. Back in 2016, Modi at an event in Pune had said he has no hesitation in accepting that Pawar held his hand and taught him to walk in his early days in Gujarat.

The other invitees for the programme include Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

“This is a non-political function. Earlier the trust had given awards to many eminent personalities from various sectors including those from different ideologies such as former RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras, ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and socialist leader SM Joshi,” Rohit Tilak said.

Among other political personalities, the award was conferred to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Dr Manmohan Singh, and former President Pranab Mukherjee while from the business community, Rahul Bajaj, Baba Kalyani, N Narayanmurti, Cyrus Poonawalla have been the recipients of the award. In the science and technology sector, the award was previously given to Verghese Kurien, the architect of India’s white revolution, R Chidambaram, Indian space scientist G Madhavan Nair, Metro man E Shreedharan and innovator Sonam Wangchuk among others.