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NCP rubbishes speculation over Pawar’s meeting with Modi
Former Union minister Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday rubbished speculation about his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and clarified the two met to discuss amendments to the banking regulations, their impact on the cooperative sector, and the Covid-19 vaccination drive
Former Union minister Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday rubbished speculation about his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and clarified the two met to discuss amendments to the banking regulations, their impact on the cooperative sector, and the Covid-19 vaccination drive.
NCP spokesman Nawab Malik insisted there was nothing to be speculated about and that the two other constituents of ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)--Shiv Sena and Congress--were apprised about the meeting. He added chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and Congress’s Maharashtra in-charge H K Patil knew about the scheduled meeting.
“A few people are linking the meeting between Pawar and Modi to that of earlier few meetings between leaders from NCP and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). Pawar’s was a scheduled meeting that took place as per the pre-determined appointment. BJP’s leader in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal called on Pawar as a courtesy to seek cooperation from opposition parties. Defence minister Rajnath Singh convened a meeting at his office with two former defence ministers Sharad Pawar and AK Antony yesterday (Friday). ...people are linking these two meetings and a meeting between Modi and the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis with speculation about the MVA government in Maharashtra. But the speculation has no substance,” said Malik, who is a minister in the MVA government.
Malik said the NCP is with other opposition parties in both the Houses of Parliament and will join hands with them to raise voice against rising prices of petrol, diesel, inflation, vaccination, the tension on borders and handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Thackeray was told about the meeting by Pawar during their meeting two days ago. Similarly, Patil was informed about the scheduled meeting early this week. The meeting was scheduled to take place much earlier, but the time constraint delayed it. Pawar had already spoken with the prime minister over the phone on the issues in the banking and cooperative sector, but the latter insisted upon a personal meet.”
He said Pawar raised the issue of the shortage of the Covid-19 vaccines with Modi. “He has requested the prime minister to have a policy for a smooth supply of the vaccines to all states.”
Malik said the new amendments to the Banking Regulation Act are expected to hit the cooperative banking sector badly. He added Pawar requested Modi to intervene.
Pawar is believed to have taken up the issue of action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against sugar factories, political leaders in Maharashtra. He requested Modi to avoid “unwarranted” action against the cooperative sector and also leaders from the ruling political parties in Maharashtra, people aware of the matter said.
On Friday, ED attached property worth ₹4.2 crore of the former home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh. Several leaders from the ruling parties in Maharashtra are facing the ED probes.
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