Deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) is confident about the upcoming November 20 polls. He said that Ladki bahin yojna Is going to be a 'game changer' in this election. "Opposition has opposed it but, people had supported it, especially women," he said. He also said opposition felt they will lose vote bank, if they don’t appease it.
In an interview with CNN News18, Pawar spoke about his campaign trail, the Pawar vs Pawar battle, maratha reservations, CM face and much more.
Speaking on fielding wife Sunetra Pawar in the Lok Sabha elections, Pawar said it was his mistake that people of Baramati didn't like. "It was my mistake that I fielded Sunetra in Lok Sabha from here, which people in Baramati didn’t like. I have accepted this mistake," he said. He further said Baramatikars have decided that they will support Supriya tai (Supriya Sule) for Lok Sabha and will support him in Vidhan Sabha. "They did so looking at Saheb," he added.
He then spoke about the ideological battle of NCP. Party is following Sharad Pawar’s ideology because he believes in secularism, Ajit Pawar said. He then said "people would say we are with BJP, but we were with Shiv Sena before this. Ideology of Shiv Sena and BJP is same."
On Muslim and Maratha reservation, Pawar said government had given 5 percent reservation to Muslims and 10 percent to Marathas. "There were judicial battles over it. When Eknath Shinde government came to power, Maratha reservation issue cropped up, following which he took opinion of all parties over it."
Mahayuti had to pay the price of Maratha reservation in Lok Sabha election in Marathwada, Pawar said. "Jarange Patil still makes statements asking his community that he will decide the course of action for everyone," he added.
Speaking about cotton and soyabean farmers, Pawar said they were given incentives earlier. "We had a similar issue during Lok Sabha for onion farmers, which we paid a price for in Lok Sabha elections," Pawar added.
On Yugendra’s candidature, Pawar said young faces should take up responsibility, but should gain ground experience first. "Saheb (Sharad Pawar) gave him ticket just because he wanted to," he added.
Speaking on the 'Pawar vs Pawar' battle, he said his whole family is supporting him unlike Lok Sabha elections. "I have my family supporting me, my sisters, wife, mother, maternal relatives. I am not alone this time, during Parliament elections I was alone because family didn’t like that I asked Sunetra to contest," he said.
Ajit Pawar further said the alliance's target is 175 plus seats after which they will think about chief minister's face.
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