PM Narendra Modi shares stage with Sharad Pawar in Pune

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday shared the stage with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar at the Lokmanya Tilak National Award ceremony in Pune.

Pawar attended the event that was held to confer Modi with the Lokmanya Tilak Award in recognition of his "supreme leadership" and for "awakening the feeling of patriotism among citizens".

The NCP president did not entertain requests from members of the opposition INDIA alliance to not share the stage with Modi.

The INDIA alliance members felt this won't be good optics for the opposition at a time when a united front is being put up against the BJP, PTI reported.

Pawar did not meet some MPs who wanted to dissuade him from gracing the occasion.

The award was constituted in 1983 to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak and is presented every year on August 1, Tilak's death anniversary.

Some social organisations and members of various political parties staged a joint protest against Modi during the visit. Prominent social activist Baba Adhav led the protest where the participants waved black flags.

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The alliance members held the protest at Mandai, around 300 metres from the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh temple where Modi performed pooja soon after reaching Pune.

Leaders of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and members of various social outfits took part in the protest.

Earlier the Prime Minister performed pooja at Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh temple immediately after his arrival in the city from Delhi.

Modi has become the first serving PM to visit the temple and perform pooja, the temple trustees said.

Over the years, some serving and former presidents, former prime ministers, serving cabinet ministers, chief ministers and political leaders have had darshan of the deity that sees lakhs of devotees during the 10-day Ganeshotsav.

The Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple managed by the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust is among the richest temples in the state and devotees believe its idol holds the power to fulfil wishes.

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had visited the temple as President of India and former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chandra Shekhar and I K Gujral offered prayers when they were not in office.

BJP leader L K Advani, who was a cabinet minister during the Vajpayee government, also came here to take blessings while Shankar Dayal Sharma, after completing his term as the President of India, visited the place.

Recently, Union home minister Amit Shah, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, former vice-president Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari visited the temple. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has also performed pooja at the temple.

The trust's website says Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan and Lata Mangeshkar were among the visitors to the temple. (With inputs from PTI)