Maharashtra Politics: ‘In 2014, 2017 and 2019…’ Sharad Pawar made a big disclosure, repeated Atal ji’s line – I am neither tired nor retired

Maharashtra Political Crisis: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has made a big disclosure while talking to a private TV channel amid the ongoing political turmoil in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar said that he had talks with the BJP for the elections of 2014, 2017 and 2019, but the matter did not move forward due to the difference in ideology.

Reacting to the statement of NCP stalwart and his nephew Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar said that he can work even at the age of 82. This comment of Sharad Pawar came in the context of Ajit Pawar’s statement, in which Ajit Pawar had said that the time has come that Sharad Pawar should retire from politics and hand over the command of NCP to him.

‘Neither tired nor retired’

Sharad Pawar said emphatically that he has not yet become old. He repeated the words of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying, ‘Neither tired, nor retired.’ The NCP chief said that he is working for the party and does not hold any ministerial position. He said, ‘Who are they to ask me to retire? I can still work.

‘Ajit Pawar is working at the behest of BJP’

The NCP chief said that if my appointment as party president is illegal, then all appointments made by Praful Patel and others are illegal. Sharad Pawar said that it was Praful Patel who proposed my name for the post of president and I was unanimously elected at the Talkatora Stadium in Delhi. Sharad Pawar also targeted the BJP during this period. He said that personal attacks on me by Ajit and other prominent leaders of his group are being done at the behest of BJP.

Sharad’s target on dynasty

While Sharad Pawar targeted Ajit Pawar, his pain was also visible for Supriya Sule. He said that Ajit Pawar was made deputy CM four times. They were given ministries, Praful Patel was made minister in UPA despite losing the election. Others like PA Sangma’s daughter were made ministers, but not Supriya. Is this dynasty? Then is Ajit saying this is wrong.

‘Hindutvaism is nothing but misguiding people’

The NCP chief further said that it is wrong for Ajit to say that if we can go with the Sena then why not with the BJP. There is a difference between Shiv Sena and BJP. The army had an alliance with the Congress during and after the Emergency. Sharad Pawar said that we are against BJP, it is important. Hinduism is nothing, it is just taking people on the wrong path.

On Ajit Pawar’s retirement statement, Sharad Pawar said who he (Ajit Pawar) is to ask me to retire. I offered to all these people and the workers requested me to continue working.

‘Don’t say I’m old’

Sharad Pawar said, ‘I can still work, I am not on any ministerial post, if I can then what is the harm in working. I am working for the party. He said that this government will be run by BJP. The rest will follow orders from Delhi. Don’t say that I am old. I am neither tired nor retired.

Making a big disclosure, the NCP chief said that he had talked with BJP in 2014, 2017, 2019, but our ideology and BJP’s are different. There was no discussion about this. He further said that we did not do anything wrong by discussing, it is a democratic process. He said that the biggest thing is that I never went with BJP.

‘I will rebuild the party’

Sharad Pawar said that I will not talk about what happened in the family. Of course I felt bad that all this was close to me, but I have faced such things before. I will rebuild the party. He said that it does not matter what happens in the Election Commission, it will continue to happen. I’ll work on the ground.

The NCP chief further said that our effort is for opposition unity. There is no guarantee that you will win the election, but you should come together on the matter of ideology, he said. The NCP chief took a dig at that statement of Praful Patel. In which Praful Patel had said that during the Patna rally on 23rd June, he felt like laughing. Sharag Pawar said that Prafulla does not have the seriousness to understand that he can laugh. We will meet in Bangalore. Sharad Pawar said that there is a stable government in Maharashtra, but this government will be run by the BJP from Delhi. As far as other people are concerned, they will only get ministerial posts.