Sharad Pawar informs that it was a gathering with Ajit Pawar, referring to it as a family meeting.

Sharad Pawar denies going with BJP, calls for change in 2024

New Delhi: NCP supreme Sharad Pawar, whose meeting with his estranged nephew Ajit Pawar has raised a storm in Maharashtra’s opposition alliance, on Wednesday said “I will not go with the BJP. To stop unrest among people, we need to bring a change in 2024. We will do every possible to bring this change.”

Meeting with Ajit Pawar

Sharad Pawar also clarified on the reported “secret” meeting with Ajit Pawar on August 12 at businessman Atul Chordiya’s residence in Pune had sent political circles abuzz in Maharashtra. “He is my family member. If any ceremony is planned in our family, naturally I will be consulted at that time,” the senior Pawar said.

Allies object to the meeting

The Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena ★both allies of the NCP in Maha Vikas Aghadi had objected to the meeting. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said they not approve of meetings taking place “secretly” between the Pawars and that it is a matter of concern for his party.

Sharad Pawar denies ‘Plan B’ rumors

An editorial in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said the frequent meetings between Sharad Pawar and his nephew were tarnishing the image of the NCP founder. Sharad Pawar cleared the air on differences between the alliance partners and sought to nix speculation that the Congress and the Shiv Sena were working on a ‘Plan B’ to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls without his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Offer of cabinet berth

The meeting of the Pawars had triggered unease among alliance partners after former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had claimed that a central cabinet berth had been offered to the NCP stalwart or his daughter Supriya Sule. Both Sharad Pawar and Sule denied the reports.

Supriya Sule’s statement

“I have received no such offer and neither has anyone had any conversations on those lines with me. You should ask them (Maharashtra Congress leaders) why they are giving such statements. I have no idea. I am personally in touch with senior Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Gaurav Gogoi but I am not in touch with any of their leaders in Maharashtra,” Sule said.

No surprise in the meeting

The NCP leader also said that she is not aware of what transpired in last week’s meeting between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar at the home of a Pune businessman. “Even before my Dada’s (Ajit Pawar’s) birth, the Pawar and Chordiya families shared a good association as Mr (Atul) Chordiya’s father and Pawar Saheb were together in college. So there is nothing to be surprised if both the families meet,” said Sule.

Watch Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit offered Sharad Pawar berth in Union Cabinet: Congress ex-CM