Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Mess with anyone but me, Sharad Pawar warns detractors

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Nationalist Congress Party (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday warned his detractors to "mess with anyone but him" and urged voters not only to defeat those who rebelled under Ajit Pawar, but to "defeat them big."

According to news agency PTI, while addressing a rally in Solapur district of Madha, Sharad Pawar reminisced about an episode of defection that cost him the position of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly nearly four decades ago. He also spoke about his determination that led to the defeat of all those who had "backstabbed" him.

"In the 1980 elections, 58 candidates won from our party, and I became Leader of Opposition. I had gone abroad, and when I returned, I realised that Chief Minister AR Antulay had worked some kind of miracle, and 52 of the 58 Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) had switched sides. I lost the post of LoP," he said.

"I did nothing (at the time). I simply started reaching out to people across the state and worked hard for three years. In the next elections, I fielded young candidates against all 52 MLAs who had left me. I am proud of the people of Maharashtra that all 52 who betrayed me were defeated," PTI quoted him telling the gathering.

The 83-year-old political stalwart, emphasising his undefeated record since becoming an MLA in 1967 at the age of 27, stated, "I have my own experiences. The people who betrayed should be shown their place. Don't just defeat them, defeat them big," he said.

According to PTI, as Sharad Pawar made this statement, the crowd responded enthusiastically, chanting his name when he paused and remarked that a message should be sent: "You can mess with anyone but me."

The NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government. Following the Election Commission's decision, Ajit Pawar's faction retained the name and the 'clock' symbol, while Sharad Pawar's faction was recognised as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and received the 'man blowing tutari' symbol.

The NCP (SP) has fielded Yugendra Pawar, Sharad Pawar's grandnephew, to challenge Ajit Pawar in Baramati, a seat the Deputy CM has held as an MLA since 1991.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar also fielded his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter, who was the sitting MP from Baramati. Sule won the seat comfortably, and since then, Ajit Pawar has admitted that fielding his wife was a mistake.

(With PTI inputs)