The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday called state cooperation minister Dilip Walse Patil a traitor and urged voters to defeat him in the upcoming assembly elections.
Pawar was speaking at a rally in Manchar, Ambegoan for the party candidate Devdatta Nikam.
“Walse Patil has betrayed us, and traitors should not go unpunished. The only punishment is in the upcoming assembly poll defeat him,” he said to supporters gathered at the rally. This was for the first time, Pawar used harsh criticism against Walse Patil.
The Ambegaon constituency faces a crucial contest in the assembly election this year with seven-time incumbent MLA Walse Patil, long viewed as Sharad Pawar’s loyalist but after split in the NCP party he joined the NCP-Ajit Pawar faction, fighting battle against Nikam.
Pawar said, “Whatever was possible I did for Walse Patil but when our government was not in power, he joined other party and sat in the cabinet. People are unhappy with him as he betrayed us.”
Earlier Pawar held a rally for the party candidate Satyashil Sherkar at Junnar constituency. During the rally, he criticized the opposition’s response to their defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, stating that they introduced the “Ladki Bahin Yojana. I don’t have any complaints about the government respecting the women through the scheme. However, women in the state truly need is security, rather than a pension of ₹1,500.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier Pawar held a rally for the party candidate Satyashil Sherkar at Junnar constituency. During the rally, he criticized the opposition’s response to their defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, stating that they introduced the “Ladki Bahin Yojana. I don’t have any complaints about the government respecting the women through the scheme. However, women in the state truly need is security, rather than a pension of ₹1,500.
{{/usCountry}}Pawar also stated that crimes against women have increased in the state, with over 1,600 girls reported abducted in the past eight months, leaving us unaware of their whereabouts. The recent incident at the Thane school, where two girls were molested, resulted in the capture of the culprit; however, similar incidents are being reported in several other locations.
Pawar emphasised that our government would ensure a safe environment for women and provide a monthly pension of ₹3,000. Additionally, state transport will be free for all women. “We have plans to give a debt waiver of up to ₹3 lakh for farmers, a monthly allowance of ₹4,000 for unemployed youth, ₹25 lakh in health insurance, and free medicines for all families. Furthermore, a caste-based census will be conducted, along with efforts to remove the 50% ceiling on reservations, which will be implemented within 100 days of the government formation, he stated.