Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Monday expressed his dissatisfaction over the sit-in protest by his nephew and NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai.
Mr. Rohit was demanding an industrial development corporation (MIDC) in his Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Ahmednagar district.
When NCP legislator and Sharad Pawar loyalist, Anil Deshmukh, raised the issue of the protest by Mr. Rohit in the Assembly, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the letter regarding the demand is already with the State government and soon a meeting with all stakeholders will be called to reach an appropriate decision.
“As the State government has addressed the matter, Mr. Rohit should withdraw the protest,” Mr. Ajit said
He further said that there is sufficient time during the ongoing Monsoon session of the State legislature to hold a meeting within the Vidhan Bhavan premises.
Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar echoed similar sentiments, reminding that it was collectively decided that people’s representatives should not hold sit-in protests near the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Vidhan Bhavan. “It has been unanimously decided that people’s representatives will not hold sit-in protests near the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. However, Rohit sat there. I will appeal to him to withdraw the protest,” he said.
Following the discussions with NCP State president Jayant Patil and Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, Mr. Rohit withdrew his protest.