Page 15 - Sharad Pawar

2019 redux? Ajit Pawar breaks ranks, takes oath as Maharashtra Deputy CM

Sidelined by Sharad Pawar, he switches sides to become Maha deputy CM

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi speak with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, extend support

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi spoke with NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday and extended support to him, after the Maharashtra strongman faced a revolt by his nephew Ajit Pawar who along eight other leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led government. The Congress said that the BJP's "washing machine" has resumed its operations as a number of these leaders had been facing serious corruption charges and have now got a "clean chit". In a surprising move, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister, while eight legislators of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day. Congress president Kharge and Gandhi spoke with NCP president Sharad Pawar and extended support to him, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Twitter. "The BJP's dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected ...

Decision to be taken against those who violated party line: Sharad Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said a decision has to be taken on those who violated the party line and joined the Eknath Shinde government, indicating that action would be taken against Ajit Pawar and other leaders who became part of the ruling dispensation. In a surprising move, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister, while eight MLAs of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day. Addressing a press conference here, Sharad Pawar said his endeavour after this development would be to travel as much as possible within state and the country, and build relations with people. Pawar said he would not fight over anyone saying anything by taking the NCP's name, but would go to people instead. "Those who violated the party line and took oath, a decision has to be taken on them," he said. He said some party leaders were nervous about probes by the Enforcement ...

Party MLAs taking oath in Shinde govt have no official support: NCP

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Sunday said the oath taken by nine NCP MLAs as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government does not have official support of the party. Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister while eight MLAs of the party took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (NCP). In a video message, Tapase said NCP's party workers, district president, taluka president, youth and women are with party's national leader Sharad Pawar. "The oath-taking ceremony in Maharashtra was part of Operation Lotus and it has no official support of NCP. Those who took oath, it is their personal decision and not that of the NCP," he said. Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year. The political development comes a year after a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena (then undivided) led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. On

NCP leaders at Ajit Pawar's house; Sharad Pawar says unaware of meeting

Nationalist Congress Party's senior leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday met some party leaders and MLAs at his official residence in Mumbai. However, NCP president Sharad Pawar, who was in Pune, said he was unaware of the meet, but added that Ajit Pawar, as leader of opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, can call a meeting of legislators. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of Ajit Pawar recently saying he was not keen on continuing as the LoP and wanted to work in the party organisation. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and party's working president Supriya Sule were among the leaders present at the meeting held at Ajit Pawar's official residence 'Devgiri', while state party president Jayant Patil was not present. Some MLAs were also present in the meeting. The agenda of the meet was not known. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune that he was unaware of the meeting in Mumbai. 'On July 6, I have called a meeting of senior leaders and decisions related to the

Shinde-led Maha govt incapable of maintaining law and order: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday slammed the Eknath Shinde government, which completed one year in power on June 30, for its "incapability" to maintain law and order in Maharashtra. Shinde became chief minister on June 30 last year after a successful rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray split the Shiv Sena and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which Pawar's NCP was a part along with the Congress. Queried about the first anniversary of the Ekanth Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, Pawar said, "There is a serious question of law and order in the state. Attacks on women, gangs with koytas (sharp edged weapon) are serious issues. The state government is incapable of maintaining law and order." The opposition has been attacking the Shinde government over communal flare-ups in several places over posters of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and 18th century Mysore rule Tipu Sultan, as well as crimes against women, including some in which the accused used ..

Sharad Pawar taunts Fadnavis with 'devendrawasi' jibe over bus accidents

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday took a jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in connection with a bus accident on the Samruddhi Expressway that killed 25 by claiming people had told him such fatalities become "devendrawasis". The 701-kilometre Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg, which is now operational on a 601 kilometre stretch from Vidarbha's largest city to Bharvir in Nashik, is considered the brainchild of Fadnavis. However, it has been plagued by accidents since it was opened for the public on December 12 last year, which have killed several score people. A bus carrying 33 passengers from Nagpur to Pune on the Samruddhi Expressway overturned and caught fire in Sindkhedraja in Buldhana at 1.32 am, killing 25 occupants. "A number of accidents have taken place on the Samruddhi Expressway. I have once travelled on the route. When people were asked about their experience, they told me the one who dies in an accident on the Samruddhi ..

Gave his wicket on googly: Sharad Pawar taunts Fadnavis on oath ceremony

Pawar asked why in 2019, Devendra Fadnavis took oath discreetly in the early morning when he was sure about our support

Next Oppn meeting in Bengaluru, not Shimla on July 13-14: Sharad Pawar

A total of 32 leaders from various parties attended the first meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna

First give reservation to women in LS, Assemblies: Sharad Pawar on UCC

The Union government should first introduce reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies before talking about the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said here on Thursday. Holding a press conference, Pawar also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become restless after the Opposition parties' meeting in Patna. Next meeting will take place at Bengaluru on July 13-14, he informed. On the UCC debate, he said the NCP will make its stand clear after assessing the suggestions and demands of various communities. But before that, reservation should be given to women in Assemblies and the Lok Sabha, which is a long-pending demand, the senior leader said. On Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's claims about Pawar being privy to the BJP's plans to form government in Maharashtra along with a group of NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar in 2019, the senior Pawar said Fadnavis should focus on women's security in the state ..

Fadnavis 'misusing' Sharad Pawar's name to outshine Maha CM Shinde: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of trying to garner publicity by "misusing" NCP president Sharad Pawar's name to outshine CM Eknath Shinde. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Fadnavis in an interview to a TV channel recently claimed Pawar agreed to form government with the BJP in 2019 and then backed off after three-four days. Reacting to the deputy CM's claim, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto in a statement said, "After being subdued by Eknath Shinde in advertisements in the past few days, Devendra Fadnavis is now trying to garner publicity on his own, he is therefore misusing the name of Sharad Pawar in interviews, to gain free publicity and outshine Eknath Shinde." After the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (then undivided) snapped ties with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post. Later, Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister and

Key NCP leaders to take call on Ajit's desire for party role: Sharad Pawar

Days after Ajit Pawar appealed that he be assigned a role in the NCP organisation, party president Sharad Pawar on Monday said such a decision cannot be taken by one person and key party leaders will sit to take a call on it. Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, recently appealed to the party leadership to relieve him of the responsibility as Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly and assign him any role in the party organisation. Notably, Sharad Pawar recently entrusted the responsibility of Maharashtra to his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule by appointing her as a working president. Praful Patel is another working president for other states. Asked about Ajit Pawar's desire to have a position in the party organisation, the NCP chief said such decisions are not taken by any one person. "Key leaders including him (Ajit) will sit together and they will take a decision on this. Today, everyone in the party has the sentiment to work i

No discussion on PM post during opposition meet in Patna, says Sharad Pawar

Over 32 leaders of opposition parties held a meeting in Patna on Friday and resolved to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections

No discussion held on 'PM post' during Oppn meeting in Patna: Sharad Pawar

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Monday said no discussion took place on the "prime ministerial post" in the meeting of opposition parties held in Patna last week ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due next year. There were discussions on issues like inflation, unemployment and "deliberate attempts" at some places to encourage communal forces, Pawar told reporters in Baramati town here in Maharashtra. He also hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for its criticism of the opposition meeting. Why was the BJP worried about the conclave, Pawar said, claiming there was lack of "political maturity". Drawing the battle lines, over 32 leaders of more than a dozen opposition parties held a crucial meeting in Patna hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday and resolved to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At a joint press meeting, the opposition parties said they would fight the polls on a common agenda and state-wise strategy, setting aside their ...

Sharad Pawar to skip all-party meeting called by Amit Shah on Manipur

Sharad Pawar expressed his desire to attend the meeting to discuss Manipur violence but due to some important prior commitments, he has designated other leaders to attend the meeting

Manipur issue to be discussed in Oppn meeting: NCP's Sharad Pawar

Pawar, who was accompanied by her daughter Supriya Sule, further added that "they are meeting to discuss some important issues of the country and decide the future course of action

Issues plaguing country to be discussed at Oppn parties' meeting: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said various important issues plaguing the country, including the current situation in violence-hit Manipur, will be discussed in the meeting of Opposition parties in Patna. Top leaders of opposition parties will meet in the Bihar capital on Friday to chalk out a roadmap for the formation of an anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The meeting is being hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JDU) and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav (RJD). Apart from Pawar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann (AAP), Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin (DMK), Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav and Maharashtra's former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) are scheduled to attend the first high-level opposition meeting. Talking to reporters in Pune before leaving for Patna, Pawar said, "We will be .

'All leaders are united to defeat PM Modi,' says JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar

Meanwhile, Bihar Congress president Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh said all opposition parties are coming together to defeat the ideology of BJP and RSS

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