Page 20 - Sharad Pawar

NCP's lone Gujarat MLA Kandhal Jadeja resigns after ticket denial

The Nationalist Congress Party's lone Gujarat MLA Kandhal Jadeja resigned from the party on Monday after it denied him a ticket for the upcoming state Assembly polls. Jadeja had filed his nomination on November 11 despite not having a mandate from the party. He won from Kutiyana seat in Porbandar district in 2012 and 2017 on the NCP's ticket, but this time the seat has been kept out of the Congress-NCP alliance. Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. In the first phase, voting will be held in 89 seats, including Kutiyana, while voting for the remaining 93 seats will be held on December 5. In the last Assembly polls, Jadeja had defeated candidates of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress as the NCP had not entered into an alliance with the Congress. In a letter to Gujarat NCP chief Jayant Patel aka Jayant Boskey on Monday, Jadeja said he is resigning from all the party posts and primary membership as he has bee

Sharad Pawar not to join Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra: Jairam Ramesh

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar will not join the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra due to health issues, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday. Addressing media persons here, Ramesh said Pawar (81) had earlier agreed to participate in the foot march. ''He was recently hospitalised and considering doctor's advice for rest, he will not join (the yatra),'' said Ramesh, the general secretary (communications) of the All India Congress Committee. Pawar's daughter and NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, state party president Jayant Patil and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad reached Maharashtra's Nanded district on Thursday to join Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the foot march from Deglur Naka and to attend the latter's public rally in the evening. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will also attend the rally. Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi had spoken to Pawar when he was in hospital. ''Even though Pawar had agreed to join the yatra, he is unable to come due to doct

'Pawar's participation in 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' will depend on his health'

Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan has said the participation of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Maharashtra will depend on his health condition. The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', a mass outreach initiative of the Congress which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari, is scheduled to enter Maharashtra's Nanded district on Monday night from neighbouring Telangana. The Congress had invited NCP president Pawar, 81, to participate in the foot march and the latter earlier said he would join the yatra. Pawar was recently hospitalised in Mumbai for fever and other health issues. The NCP chief on Saturday flew to Shirdi from Mumbai with doctors and addressed the party convention briefly. Talking to reporters in Nanded on Sunday evening, former chief minister Chavan said, "There seems to be a change in Sharad Pawar's programmes. I have come to know that he may join the yatra on November 10, but it will depend on his health condition." The state Con

NCP president Sharad Pawar admitted to hospital after feeling uneasy

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar was admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai on Monday after he felt uneasy, a party functionary said. The 81-year-old Rajya Sabha member will remain in the hospital for next couple of days and later attend a party meeting scheduled to begin on November 3, NCP's general secretary Shivajirao Garje said in a statement. After the veteran politician complained of uneasiness, he was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital on the advice of his physician, he said. He will remain in the hospital for three days and is expected to be discharged on November 2. He will attend the party's two-day meeting scheduled to begin on November 3, Garje said. The functionary appealed to party leaders and workers not to gather at the hospital. Pawar had undergone a gall bladder surgery at the private hospital in April last year. He had also undergone a medical procedure for the removal of a mouth ulcer.

Andheri East assembly bypoll: Raj Thackeray asks BJP not to field nominee

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday sought the unopposed election of Rutuja Latke, the candidate of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena, in the November 3 Andheri East Assembly bypoll while MNS president Raj Thackeray appealed to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not to field BJP's nominee to show reverence to the late MLA Ramesh Latke. The MNS' appeal to Fadnavis and its decision to not contest the bypoll has generated intense political discussion given Raj Thackeray's political rivalry with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. The late Latke belonged to Shiv Sena. Notably, the last date for withdrawal of the nominations for the bypoll is October 17. Fadnavis said the proposition of Raj Thackeray will be discussed seriously with BJP leaders and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the final decision will be taken only after a discussion with senior leaders in BJP. He also said whenever there was a proper communication or appeal made to BJP, it was responded to ...

Andheri East bypoll: Let Rutuja Latke be elected unopposed, says Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday sought the unopposed election of Rutuja Latke, the candidate of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, in the Andheri East Assembly bypoll scheduled for November 3. Rutuja Latke, the wife of Ramesh Latke, whose death necessitated the bypoll, is up against the Bharatiya Janata Party's Murji Patel. Incidentally, October 17 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. "The term for the new member (MLA) will be just one-and-half years. The bypoll is being held because of the unfortunate death of Ramesh Latke. His wife is contesting the seat. Latke was a corporator and an MLA. His contribution must be taken into consideration," Pawar said. Huge efforts go into fighting bypolls, which is not required when the term is just for around one year, he said, adding that five to six months are spent with the election code of conduct in place. He also hailed the Bombay High Court order directing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corpora

When Mulayam and Pawar dashed Sonia Gandhi's prime ministerial hopes

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, who passed away on Monday, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar formed the unlikely duo who set in motion political events in 1999 that dashed Congress president Sonia Gandhi's prime ministerial hopes. Gandhi, then a newly appointed Congress chief, had staked claim to form the government at the Centre after the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had lost the vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 1999. We have 272 and we hope to get morewe are confident we will get more, Gandhi had famously told reporters at the Rashtrapati Bhawan after calling on the then President K R Narayanan. However, Yadav, whose 20 members in the Lok Sabha were crucial for the Congress to cross the majority mark, had different plans and was not keen to back Gandhi as the prime minister. Yadav had proposed the name of CPI(M) stalwart Jyoti Basu for the top executive post, bristling at Gandhi's claims of forming a Congress ...

Despite being large part of population, Muslims not getting share: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said members of the Muslim community have a feeling they were not getting their due share despite being a large part of the country's population. Addressing an event titled 'Issues Before Indian Muslims' organised by the Vidarbha Muslim Intellectuals Forum here, Pawar batted for Urdu but also stressed on the importance of the "main language" of states, citing the situation in Kerala as an example. "Members of the Muslim community have a feeling they are not getting their due share despite being such a large part of the country, which is actually a reality. Deliberations have to be held on how they can get their due share," he said. Responding to an earlier speaker seeking the use of Urdu in government recruitment examinations, Pawar hailed the language and said several people are associated with it for generations. "We should consider Urdu schools and education, but along with Urdu, we have to consider about the main languag

NCP chief Pawar welcomes Mohan Bhagwats' comments on social discrimination

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Saturday welcomed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement that anything which causes social discrimination must be junked. Speaking at a book launch event here on Friday, Bhagwat had said concepts like 'Varna' and 'Jaati' (caste) should be completely discarded, adding that the caste system has no relevance now. "Everything that causes discrimination should go out lock, stock and barrel," the RSS chief had said. He had also said one must not hesitate to accept and apologise for the mistakes committed by one's ancestors. Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Pawar, however, said such statements need to be implemented in actual behaviour and must not remain as lip service. "A big segment of society suffered due to such discrimination. And the fact that those who were responsible for such discrimination are realising it must be done away with is a good thing," he said. "Only apologising, however, will not

Don't know if Shiv Sena wanted to ditch BJP, ally with Cong in 2017: Pawar

Throwing cold water on Ashok Chavan's recent claims, NCP President Sharad Pawar said he was not aware whether the Shiv Sena wanted to dump the and ally with the Congress-NCP to form a govt in 2017

Dassehra rallies: Pawar advises Thackeray-Shinde not to 'cross limits'

As Maharashtra braces for an unprecedented political development of 'two Shiv Sena' Dassehra rallies crossing words and swords, Sharad Pawar advised both Shinde and Thackeray "not to cross the limit"

Mamata ready to bury differences with Cong to form anti-BJP front: Pawar

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee is ready to bury her differences with the Congress in the national interests, and come together to form an alliance of opposition parties ahead of the 2024 general elections. Speaking to reporters here, Pawar also said he and some leaders from other states, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdulla were not averse to join hands with the Congress to form a front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next polls. Replying to a query about the TMC supremo's alleged differences with the Congress after it independently contested elections in West Bengal, Pawar said, "Mamata Bannerjee had personally said that her party is ready to come together in the national interests and work with Congress to put up a proper challenge before the ruling BJP." According to the former Union minister, Banerjee has also said

Filing cases, arresting Opposition leaders Centre's flagship project: Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that filing cases and arresting Opposition leaders seem to be the flagship project of the Centre. If you check today's newspaper, it has detailed how Central probe agencies have increased their actions against Opposition parties and leaders. It seems that filing cases and arresting Opposition leaders are the flagship project of the Centre. "Whenever they have some doubts about the outcome of an election, such steps are taken as an important work. The key issues and challenges before the society are kept aside, Pawar told reporters here in a swipe at BJP-ruled Centre. We will respond to it politically, said the NCP chief. A prime witness in Mumbai's Patra 'chawl' redevelopment project case has told the Enforcement Directorate, probing the related money laundering, in which Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is an accused, that during 2008-09 some residents of the area had approached NCP chief Sharad Pawar through local politicians for the redevelopment

NCP attacks Centre, Maha govt on farmer suicide, asks to decide priorities

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday attacked the Centre and the Maharashtra government over the suicide of a farmer in Pune, with party chief Sharad Pawar saying those in power in the state should decide their priorities, an apparent swipe at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Addressing reporters, NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase claimed the farmer had blamed the Modi government for agrarian distress. "Dashrath Laxman Kedari, a farmer from Junnar (in Pune district) died by suicide on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday (September 17). He blamed the Modi government for farmers in distress in the country. We condemn the Modi government. When an annadata (food provider) commits suicide, then the government has to give a justification for this, Tapase said. Reacting to the farmer's suicide, Pawar said those in the power in the state, where farmers have to resort to suicide, should decide "what to celebrate and what to appreciate". Pawar was ...

North India, Parliament still not conducive for women's quota: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the "mentality" of north India and Parliament seems not conducive yet to giving reservations to women in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. He made the remarks at a programme organised by the Pune Doctors' Association where he and his daughter and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule were interviewed. Replying to a question on the Women's Reservation Bill, which aims to reserve 33 per cent seats in Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies for women which is yet to be passed, and whether this shows the country is still not mentally ready to accept the women leadership, Pawar said he has been speaking on this issue in Parliament since he was Congress MP in Lok Sabha. "The 'mansikta' (mentality) of Parliament, especially of North India, has not been conducive (on this issue). I can recall that when I was Lok Sabha MP in Congress, I used to talk about the issue of reservations for women in Parliament. Once after

What an uncle can teach his nephew

There is much to be said about Sharad Pawar's ability to be comfortable in his own skin and there are lessons in it for his nephew Ajit Pawar

Some life in Oppn: For first time, Left parties & Mamata on the same stage?

It doesn't bear thinking about. But Nitish Kumar may have managed the impossible feat of bringing the two together

Will never surrender before rulers in Delhi, says NCP chief Pawar

Even as several Opposition leaders are under the scanner of central probe agencies, NCP president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said his party will never surrender before the "rulers in Delhi" and urged non-BJP parties to work together to keep the saffron party away from power. Addressing the eighth national convention of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) here, Pawar slammed the Modi government over rising inflation, unemployment, its handling of the farmers' protests and "fanning hatred" against religious minorities in the country. "We have to democratically challenge the present government, which is misusing central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and money power. We have to be prepared for a fight," the 81-year-old Rajya Sabha member told party workers. Opposition leaders cutting across party lines, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Farooq Abdullah, P Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram, Sanjay Raut, Nawab Malik, Abhishek Banerjee, Satyendra Jain, Manish Sisodia are

Nation in anguish under BJP rule, says Pawar; NCP calls for Oppn unity

Ahead of the next round of assembly elections, the NCP on Saturday gave a clarion call for unity of anti-BJP forces and said that party chief Sharad Pawar would play an important role in this regard. Addressing the extended working committee of the NCP here, Pawar alleged that the Modi government was anti-farmer and had also failed to tackle the issue of unemployment. He also slammed the BJP over the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case. I am surprised that the prime minister speaks of upholding the dignity of women and two days later the BJP government in the prime minister's home state reduced the sentence of those who committed atrocities against Bilkis Bano and her family, Pawar said. The extended working committee of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also re-elected Pawar as the national president of the party. The veteran leader said that farmers were looking forward to getting a good price for their paddy crop, but the government has imposed a 20 per cent

It should be 'main front', not 'third front': Nitish on opposition unity

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday pitched for uniting all non-BJP parties, saying it will be the "main front" and not the "third front". Speaking to reporters after meeting several non-BJP leaders here, Kumar said he had "very good and long discussions". "If all non-BJP parties in various states come together, then an atmosphere will emerge for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where things would not remain one-sided. With whomever I talked to, there were positive discussions," he said. On talks of the third front, he said, "Whenever someone says there is a need to create a third front, I always say let's make the 'main front'. Whenever it happens, it will be the main front, not the third front." Kumar held deliberations with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar earlier in the day and also met CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. The Bihar chief minister met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday. He had on Tuesday met CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general .