With rumours of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s ill health making the rounds on Thursday, the party and Pawar were forced to clarify that ‘all is well’.
NCP party unit in Maharashtra issued a statement saying that their chief was in good health and asked party cadres to ensure that such rumours weren’t being spread.
Pawar also spoke to a local TV channel in the evening clarifying that he was in ‘good health’ and was currently on an official tour in Karnataka.
“I can still put in 10 to 12 hours of work. I am on an official tour and today looked into the issues of elaichi and spices plantation farmers in Coorg,” said Pawar, adding that he didn’t know who was spreading the rumours.
After his two day tour in Karnataka, Pawar is scheduled to return to Delhi on Saturday.
“He is currently on an official tour and will be participating in a conference organised by Indian Institute of Agriculture and Research. He is accompanied by his wife Pratibha Pawar, Dr Ravi Bapat [his physician] and Vitthal Maniyar [a close aide], among others. It is unfortunate that baseless rumours about his ill health are being spread,” said Madhukar Pichad, state party president, in his statement
The rumours of Pawar’s ill health started after he complained of exhaustion following low blood sugar while attending a function at Kolhapur and had to be rushed to his residence in Pune.
{{/usCountry}}The rumours of Pawar’s ill health started after he complained of exhaustion following low blood sugar while attending a function at Kolhapur and had to be rushed to his residence in Pune.
{{/usCountry}}He was slated to join Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on the dias at the function.