ABP Shikhar Sammelan: With the NCP’s position in the Mahayuti in question and both the Shiv Sena and the BJP opposing it on various occasions, the Ajit Pawar-led party is seemingly testing the waters for a possible reconciliation with Sharad Pawar. Speaking at ABP Shikhar Sammelan on Wednesday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar made a big statement when asked if there was a possibility of a reconciliation with his uncle Sharad.
Ajit Pawar said: “No one has seen the future. I am not an astrologer, but anything can happen in politics. Did anyone imagine that Congress and Shiv Sena — two parties with ideologies poles apart — would fight polls in an alliance? But it’s happening.”
Ajit Pawar also said: “Last year, we [the two Pawar families] celebrated Diwali together. It may happen this year as well [despite the political differences].”
‘Ajit Pawar Is No Match-Fixer’: NCP Chief On Relations Within Pawar Family
Ajit Pawar said on Wednesday he was not a schemer and does not indulge in “match-fixing” or “collusion” for political gains. When asked if his “rebellion” against uncle Sharad Pawar in the Nationalist Congress Party last year was only optics and was actually a part of a larger scheme of the Pawr family, Ajit Pawar said: ” People of Delhi do not know much about me. If you ask the people of Maharashtra, they will tell you that Ajit Pawar does not indulge in political collusion or match-fixing.”
Speaking at the Maharashtra ABP Shikhar Sammelan 2024 in Mumbai on Wednesday, Ajit Pawar said: “I am a straightforward person. I speak my mind and move ahead.” “In 2014, NCP gave outside support to the BJP government. There were discussions [of an alliance with BJP], but nothing materialised. In 2019 there were a few meetings in Delhi and again the discussions were stopped. The decision was taken in consultation with everyone.”
“However, this time, all my MLAs came to my chamber and drafted a letter for Sharad Pawar when they felt that the [MVA] government was about to fall. They then asked me to enter into alliance discussions with the BJP.” He said the NCP MLAs were facing a lot of difficulties in carrying out their work. Hence, he joined the Shinde government.
Ajit Pawar, who is known to have orchestrated rebellions within the NCP in the past, stressed that his uncle Sharad Pawar had no clue about the last revolt in 2023.