Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that the decision by his nephew Ajit Pawar to join the Maharashtra government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena was no jolt to him and said he would address the issue at a public meeting on Monday.

Pawar said that these things are not new to him and termed the rebellion by his party leaders as “colleagues taking a different stand”. He further said that he had received no intimation regarding the decision from his nephew Ajit Pawar.

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Pawar further said that the party leaders who rebelled were “not his enemies”, but asserted that he would have to initiate “some action” against party leaders like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare who had been assigned new responsibilities within the party as part of the recent revamp.

“MLAs and all senior leaders will sit together to decide about any action against the rebel leaders. Being the president, I had appointed Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare but they did not follow their responsibilities. Therefore, I have to take some action against them,” he said.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Pawar said he was confident that the ministers inducted in the Maharashtra government on Sunday would be cleared of all charges they are facing.

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“I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Two days ago, he made a statement about NCP and mentioned two things – that the NCP is finished as a party, and referred to the irrigation complaint and allegations of corruption. I am happy happy that some of my colleagues have taken the oath. From their joining the NDA government, it is clear that all the charges have been cleared,” he added.

The remarks came hours after Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil and Sunil Tatkare were appointed as ministers in the Maharashtra government. Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, his third stint at the post since 2019. He will share the position with former CM Devendra Fadnavis.

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Addressing a press meet after the swearing-in ceremony, Ajit Pawar claimed control over the NCP and said that the party will contest the Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections in the state in alliance with the NDA. Ajit Pawar has said that his faction is the real NCP and also staked claim to the party name and symbol.
“We will fight the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections with them (BJP) and that is why we have taken this decision,” Ajit Pawar said.

Addressing the media, Sharad Pawar said that the rebellion by his nephew Ajit Pawar was “not a new thing” and reminded people that he had faced a similar crisis within the party in the 1980s. “The party I was leading in 1980 had 58 MLAs, later all left and only 6 MLAs left, but I strengthened the numbers and those who left me lost in their constituencies,” he said, vowing to strengthen the party further.

Sharad Pawar further said that he will discuss the matter of Leader of Opposition with the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) following Ajit Pawar’s resignation from the post ahead of the swearing-in. “It is the right of the speaker to decide about of the leader of the Opposition. In the next two-three days, we will sit with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray to access the situation. Our main strength is the common people, they have elected us,” he added.

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