In a massive political development in Maharashtra, around 40 NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar revolted and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) government in the state on Sunday, July 2, 2023. 8 MLAs of NCP were sworn in as ministers, as Ajit Pawar became Deputy Chief Minister. Ajit Pawar has also claimed the party and the symbol. Amid all this turmoil, party president Sharad Pawar has come ahead and said that he still considers himself the reliable face of the party. Sharad Pawar made these remarks at a press conference he addressed after the rift in the party.
While answering a question that whom he considers a reliable face of his party, Sharad Pawar raised his hand and said, “Sharad Pawar.”
#WATCH | NCP chief Sharad Pawar raises his hand and says "Sharad Pawar" when asked about who will be the reliable face of the party pic.twitter.com/2sVWf3RK62
— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2023
Several MLAs who were accompanying Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar to Raj Bhawan expressed their discontentment with the unilateral decision made by Sharad Pawar to join the opposition alliance. According to sources, these MLAs were upset by Sharad Pawar’s move to share the stage and form an alliance with Rahul Gandhi of Congress during the opposition unity meeting held in Patna. The decision did not sit well with some members of the NCP, who felt that they were not adequately consulted or informed about the move.
Some MLAs accompanying NCP leader Ajit Pawar to Raj Bhawan were “upset” with Sharad Pawar’s “unilateral” decision to share stage and ally with Rahul Gandhi at the opposition unity meet in Patna: Sources pic.twitter.com/YGc7eKd95V
— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2023
Sharad Pawar said in the press conference, “Two days ago, the Prime Minister of the country made a statement. It was done against the Congress party and the NCP. At that time, he said that the NCP is a party involved in corruption. He also referred to the complaint regarding irrigation. He referred to this and said that the NCP was involved in corruption. I am happy that today he agreed with the oath of office to some members of the NCP in the Cabinet. This means that the allegations he made were not true. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for clearing every one of the charges levelled by him.”
Sharad Pawar added, “The second question now is whether some of our colleagues have taken a different stand than the party’s stand. On July 6, I called a meeting of some prominent party leaders from Maharashtra. Some questions were raised in the meeting. There were some questions about organisational changes, which I was going to consider. But before that, some of our colleagues took a different stand from the party. We are the party. I am of the clear opinion that in two to three days a picture of how much different this stand of some members of the party, especially from the legislature, will come to the fore.”
Sharad Pawar further said, “Some of the people whose names have come up have contacted me and said, ‘We have been invited and signed, but our position is different’. I’m not going to talk about it right now. If those who are telling me raise this in front of the public, I will accept it or else I will assume that they too took a different stand.”
Sharad Pawar stated, “Today’s case may be new to others. This is not new to me. After the elections in 1980, 58 MLAs of the party I was leading were elected. A month later, all but six had left. Everyone left the party, I was the leader of the opposition. That’s when I became a leader of five people. I went out of Maharashtra with five people. I rebuilt the party. In the elections that followed, we saw our number go up to 69. Of those who left the party at that time, all but four lost. I’m seeing how the same picture that we saw in 1980 can be built with the support of the people. I have immense faith in the people of Maharashtra.”
