After 'accept it' advice, Sharad Pawar says 'won't get involved' in bow-arrow row

Sharad Pawar said he spoke to Amit Shah at a cooperative event and "there is no difference between us". "I found his points were correctly mentioned during his speech," Pawar said.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday distanced himself from the ongoing row over the bow and arrow symbol that the election commission has officially given to the Eknath Shide faction and said he does not want to go into the controversy. Earlier, the NCP chief advised Uddhav Thackeray to accept a new symbol as now that the EC has given its decision, there can be no discussion on it. "I do not want to get involved in the controversy regarding the name and symbol given to Eknath Shinde. I have already clarified my stand on the same two days back," Pawar said on Sunday in Pune. Read | ' ₹2,000 cr deal…will reveal soon', claims Sanjay Raut after EC decision on Shiv Sena

Sharad Pawar said he won't get into the bow and arrow controversy. (HT_PRINT)

Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party being an ally of the Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena and a partner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi that ruled Maharashtra before Uddhav's government was toppled by Shinde's rebellion assumes significance ahead of the crucial BMC election.

Talking about Amit Shah who is in Maharashtra now, Sharad Pawar said he was present at the opening ceremony of the Sahkar Maha Conclave where Amit Shah was present. There were talks about policies and issues in the field of cooperation (sahkar). There is no difference between us. I found his points were correctly mentioned during his speech," Pawar said.

Uddhav-led Shiv Sena is not ready to accept the defeat and the loss of Balasaheb's legacy of the bow and the arrow symbol as it prepares to move the Supreme Court. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed a ₹2,000 crore deal behind the bow-and-arrow symbol as 40 MLAs were bought with ₹50 crore each. Raut also claimed evidence in support of his claim.

Sharad Pawar said the change in the symbol won't hurt the party and the subject will remain in the discussion only for the next 15-30 days. "I remember Indira Gandhi also faced this situation. Congress used to have a 'two bullocks with a yoke' symbol. Later they lost it & adopted 'hand' as a new symbol & people accepted it. Similarly, people will accept the new symbol (of Uddhav Thackeray faction)," he said.

Before the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congres stitched an alliance and the Maha Vikas Aghadi formed the government in Maharashtra, the NCP joined hands with the BJp and Fadnavis took the oath as the chief minister with NCp's Ajit Pawar becoming his deputy. Fadnavis recently claimed that the alliance was backed by Sharad Pawar himself which Pawar denied.