Deputy Chief Minister and rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on January 7 launched a broadside on his uncle Sharad Pawar by apparently referring to the NCP patriarch as a stubborn person who did not know when to retire.
Mr. Ajit Pawar has been holding a slew of meetings to enthuse his party cadre and strengthen his base in Mumbai and Pune.
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“You have got to stop once you get old. This is a tradition that has been going on for years. But some people are not ready to listen. They are just stubborn. Government employees retire at the age of 58. Some retire at 65, 70 or 75. However, even at the age of 84, some people [alluding to Pawar senior] do not want to stop. What is this going on?” the rebel NCP leader who split the Sharad Pawar-led party in July 2023 said while addressing his cadre in Kalyan. ”
Mr. Ajit Pawar criticised his uncle for casting aspersions on his capabilities, while justifying his decision to ally with the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP combine.
“Were we not there to work after you [Sharad Pawar]. Tell us where we went wrong... we have enough capability and strength. I have held the post of Deputy Chief Minister five times,” Mr. Ajit Pawar said.
Lavishing praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he remarked there was no leadership akin to his in the country today.
“One should come to power to solve the problems of the people. There is no other leadership like Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the country. The task of raising India’s honour and glory in the world and gaining prestige has been possible due to the PM’s vision and the work he has done in the last nine years,” he said.
While Mr. Ajit Pawar had remained relatively restrained about making personal attacks on Sharad Pawar and other family members who sided with the patriarch following the split, he now seems to be sharpening his rhetoric against family members in his uncle’s NCP faction.
On Saturday, after NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s grand-nephew, who has remained on his side, alleged that the BJP and Mr. Ajit Pawar’s “friends” were behind the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) action against his [Mr. Rohit Pawar’s] firm, Baramati Agro Limited, the Deputy CM dismissed Mr. Rohit Pawar as a “kid” and refused to comment on the issue.
