People of Baramati won't like Ajit Pawar's decision to align with BJP: Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar has said that the people of Baramati, who have consistently rejected BJP, are unlikely to accept Ajit Pawar’s decision to align with a party he himself opposed for years.

In an interview to CNN-News18 on the sidelines of campaigning for Maharashtra elections, the senior Pawar said that the contest in Baramati is about ideology.

"All his elections, he [Ajit] has fought against BJP, now he is sitting with them ... contesting with them ... the people of Baramati will not like it," he said.

In the upcoming elections, NCP's Ajit Pawar is pitted against his nephew Yugendra Pawar of Sharad's faction from Baramati, which was a stronghold of undivided NCP for decades.

Sharad, 84, said that the kind of statements Ajit is using will eventually backfire on him.

Speaking about the issue of reservation for both Muslims and Marathas, Sharad Pawar said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will provide reservation to all communities who need it.

"Not only reservation, we will work on getting education facilities for them," he told CNN-News18.

The veteran leader also took a dig at Narendra Modi, saying that the Prime Minister had announced Shivaji’s statue in the sea almost 6 years ago but nothing has happened till now.

"PM Modi is only making statements without understanding his resources. The public has now started understanding that he only makes statements, there is nothing positive from his government," he said.

He also criticised PM Modi over the "Batenge to Katenge" remarks used by several BJP leaders during the campaign. "PM Modi is the prime minister, it is his responsibility that he should not make such statements. He is taking this on communal lines. They [BJP] are confident that they will lose. That’s why they are trying to communalise the entire narrative. This is disrespect and disservice to the community," he said.

Sharad Pawar also remarked on the Mahayuti government's "Ladki bahin" scheme, which was inspired by a similar scheme announced by Madhya Pradesh, saying that there is nothing wrong in it if it benefits the society, even "if it is a copy".

The NCP (SP) leader skirted the question about his possible retirement from politics, saying that he is not directly contesting the elections but will continue to serve the people as a Rajya Sabha member.

Maharashtra will go to polls in a single phase on November 20. The ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and NCP headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, is locked in a tight contest with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

The results will be announced on November 23.