Maharashtra: I did not say that Ajit Pawar is our leader, says NCP chief Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar. File Pic

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, on Friday said that it was not him who said that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was our (Sharad Pawar-led NCP) leader, the ANI reported.

According to the news agency, Sharad Pawar told the reporters in Satara, Maharashtra that he did not make any statement on there being no split in the party.

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Given the stance Ajit Pawar has chosen, he cannot be considered as a leader of the NCP, Sharad Pawar said, adding that it was not him who said that Ajit Pawar was our leader but it was the media instead and that it is their "fault" for misreporting, according to the ANI.

As per the reports, Sharad Pawar had earlier told reporters that some leaders left the NCP by taking a "different political stand" but it could not be termed as a split. Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined CM Eknath Shinde led government on July 2 which caused a split in the party.

Earlier, the NCP's working president Supriya Sule had remarked on there being no split in the party. When questioned about the same, Sharad Pawar said, "I am not saying that Ajit Pawar is our leader. Supriya Sule had said that.

They are like siblings and there is no need to look for a political meaning behind this. I did not say that Ajit Pawar is our leader. This is your (media's) fault. That was said by Supriya and it also appeared in newspapers. Given the kind of stand he has taken, he is not our leader."

According to a PTI report, Sharad Pawar recalled Maharashtra deputy CM's early morning swearing-in with Devendra Fadnavis after 2019 polls and said that opportunity to correct is given once. "Opportunity cannot be given again or one shouldn't ask for it again," he said.

On August 24, Sule called Ajit Pawar a senior leader and MLA of NCP; she further elaborated that given his stand against the party, they have given a complaint to the assembly speaker and are awaiting a response from him.

Ajit Pawar-led faction leader Sunil Tatkare responded to the comment and said there was no confusion in party ranks and that they joined the government after exploring the legalities.

With PTI inputs