09 September,2024 11:53 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Raut/ ANI screengrab
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed on Monday that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's recent professions of "remorse" will not help him win the forthcoming assembly poll in Baramati. Raut predicted that the NCP leader would lose the seat, which he had held for years. Raut's remarks came after Ajit Pawar publicly admitted that he had made a mistake by running his wife Sunetra against his cousin, Supriya Sule, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Ajit Pawar also emphasised that politics should not meddle with family issues, reported PTI.
According to the news agency report, last year, Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, causing a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which was founded by his uncle, Sharad Pawar. On Sunday, Ajit Pawar remarked that he was pleased with his development work in Baramati, but proposed that the people pick someone else to draw comparisons.
Ajit Pawar has represented Baramati since 1991 and won the 2019 assembly election by a huge margin of 1.65 lakh votes over BJP candidate Gopichand Padalkar, the news agency report added.
When asked about Ajit Pawar's comments, Raut responded, "There is no point in repenting about what he did to his uncle Sharad Pawar and his party. Ajit Pawar will definitely lose the Baramati assembly election."
He further stated, "Ajit Pawar engineered a split in the NCP and within the Pawar family. He even took away his (Sharad Pawar's) party and symbol. He backstabbed his uncle, who used to be a father-like figure for him."
Raut also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is now visiting Mumbai. He was concerned about the BJP's plans to shift major institutions and organisations from Mumbai to Gujarat, particularly the International Financial Services Centre. Raut claimed that his party rejects the BJP leaders' actions, the news agency report stated.
Speaking about Amit Shah's visit, the Rajya Sabha MP said, "We do fear that these BJP leaders will continue to undermine Mumbai politically as well as financially. There has been a constant attempt to shift good things, such as organisations and institutions, from Mumbai to Gujarat. The International Financial Services Centre, which was supposed to be in Mumbai, has been shifted to Gujarat."
"We are against such policies of these BJP leaders," the Sena (UBT) leader added.
