Sharad Pawar counters Sanjay Raut, backs India’s global outreach efforts
Speaking in Baramati on Monday, Pawar recounted his own experience as part of a delegation to the United Nations during the tenure of then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, led by BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee
A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut urged the INDIA bloc to boycott the Centre’s initiative to send delegations abroad, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar took a firm stand, cautioning against injecting “local-level politics” into matters of international importance. This is the third instance in recent times when NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have shown disagreements.
Speaking in Baramati on Monday, Pawar recounted his own experience as part of a delegation to the United Nations during the tenure of then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, led by BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“When it comes to global issues, party-level politics must take a back seat. The Centre has constituted delegations to present India’s position on the Pahalgam terror attack and Pakistan’s role in its aftermath,” the veteran politician said.
Pawar’s comments came in response to Raut’s criticism on Sunday, where the Sena (UBT) MP alleged that the Centre’s all-party delegations were a cover-up for its “sins and crimes” and should have been boycotted by the INDIA bloc parties. While Pawar acknowledged Raut’s right to voice his opinion, he noted, “A member of his own party is part of one such delegation. I believe local political differences shouldn’t interfere with such matters.”
The delegations include 51 leaders across party lines, tasked with articulating India’s stance on terrorism as part of Operation Sindoor. NCP (SP) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule is among the delegates, as is Priyanka Chaturvedi from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena.
Tensions between the two MVA partners have grown recently, particularly since their poor showing in the November 2024 Assembly elections. Last week, Raut took a jibe at the NCP (SP) after Sharad Pawar suggested merging the two NCP factions. Raut claimed it was already apparent that Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were functioning together. He referred to the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha event in Satara, where both leaders, along with Sule, shared the stage, describing it as a clear sign of reconciliation. Raut reacted saying, it is evident the senior Pawar and his nephew, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, are ‘already together.”
In another instance in February, when Pawar senior was felicitated by Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The gesture irked Uddhav Thackeray and sparked talk of a possible political rethink. At the time, Raut said, “Pawar’s decision to honour Shinde was inappropriate.”
