Sharad Pawar, the President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), spoke to the media after his nephew Ajit Pawar caused a split in the party. Sharad Pawar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and blamed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the situation. He mentioned that Modi had previously accused the Congress-NCP of corruption, but now his party has joined forces with some of those individuals. Sharad Pawar sees this as proof that Modi’s allegations were baseless and that they are now free from any charges. He expressed gratitude to Modi and happiness for those who were facing investigations and have now taken oath as ministers.
Sharad Pawar acknowledged that some NCP leaders were uncomfortable with the ongoing investigations by agencies like the ED, and Modi’s accusations only intensified their unease. This ultimately led to Sunday’s split in the party. However, Sharad Pawar mentioned that he is in contact with many of those who left and some have even expressed their concerns about how their signatures were obtained. They have promised to clarify their stance in the next few days.
Sharad Pawar admitted that he was unaware of Ajit Pawar’s resignation as the Leader of Opposition in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on June 30 and blamed him for breaking up the NCP. Unlike the Shiv Sena-UBT led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar stated that he will not pursue a legal challenge to the split. Instead, he will present their case to the people’s court, regardless of any allegations made against them.
Sharad Pawar expressed his disappointment with NCP Working President Praful Patel and General Secretary Sunil Tatkare for not fulfilling their responsibilities properly, which contributed to the split. He emphasized that they will rebuild the party and bring forth new leaders who are committed to the betterment of the state and country.
Sharad Pawar mentioned that he has received numerous phone calls from all over the country, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Trinamool Congress President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, expressing their concerns.
Finally, Sharad Pawar clarified that Sunday’s upheaval does not indicate a split within the Pawar family. It is a result of politics outside of the family circle.
