Mumbai: Former Union minister Sharad Pawar addressed recent political speculations during a press conference in Chiplun on Monday, affirming that he and his nephew Ajit Pawar remain united as a family, despite Ajit leading a different political party. "Gharat tari ekatrach ahet (we are together at home, at least)," he stated.
His comments come in response to calls from various quarters in Maharashtra urging the uncle-nephew duo to reunite politically. Ajit Pawar had previously separated from Sharad to join the Eknath Shinde-led government as deputy chief minister in July last year, leading to questions about his future in the ruling alliance. When asked about Ajit Pawar's recent admission that allowing his wife, Sunetra Pawar, to contest against Supriya Sule in Baramati was a mistake, Sharad remarked, “He is in a different party. Why should we comment on decisions taken by another party?”
Regarding the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT), he noted that deciding on a chief ministerial candidate is not an immediate concern. He recalled that during the post-Emergency elections, Morarji Desai's candidacy was not disclosed before polling. Sharad Pawar expressed confidence in the MVA's prospects, stating, “Our attempt is to provide a progressive alternative in Maharashtra with help from other parties like the Samajwadi Party and Peasants and Workers Party.” He added, “Our observation is that the people of Maharashtra have made up their mind to give us (MVA) a chance in the ensuing elections.”
On a different note, he responded to Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s claim about the use of sub-standard ghee containing 'animal fat' in prasad laddoos at the Tirupati temple during Jaganmohan Reddy's tenure, saying, “If anything was mixed, it is very wrong, and action should be taken against those involved.”
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