‘My fight is against communal forces; I will rebuild the party’: Sharad Pawar

A day after his nephew Ajit Pawar split the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and joined the BJP-backed government in Maharashtra with eight other MLAs, party chief Sharad Pawar said on Monday (July 3) that there is a need to fight forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra and the country.

Addressing NCP workers and supporters in Karad a day after Ajit Pawar became the deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government, Sharad Pawar said, “Some of our people fell prey to BJP’s tactics to break other parties.”

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“Attempts are being made to create communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. We need to fight forces that create fear among peace-loving citizens,” he said. “We need to protect democracy in the country,” he added.

“My fight is against communal forces; I will rebuild the party,” Pawar added.

#WATCH | NCP chief Sharad Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan pay floral tribute to former Maharashtra CM Yashwantrao Chavan in Karad, Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/40IZNV5Ch9

— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2023

Sharad Pawar visited the memorial of his mentor and Maharashtra’s first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan in Karad and paid floral tributes to him.

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The visit to Chavan’s memorial, Pritisangam, on Guru Purnima is being seen as a show of strength by the 82-year-old leader.

He said he was “not worried” about his nephew’s move and said he would counter Ajit’s rebellion in the “people’s court”.

“We set up a government led by Uddhav Thackeray. But some people overthrew it. And a government promoting communal forces replaced it. Such efforts are being made elsewhere in the country too,” said the veteran leader.

“These forces shook the democratic government in Maharashtra even as we opposed them. Unfortunately, a few of our colleagues fell prey to them. But the people of Maharashtra will not succumb to these forces. Soon, we will go in front of the people. The forces that have damaged our values and democratic system will be taught a lesson,” he added.

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“We decided to reach out to people and decided to start it on Guru Purnima,” the NCP boss added.

Sharad Pawar left Pune for Karad on Monday morning and stopped along the way to meet supporters who lined up on the roadside to greet him and extend support to him.

In Karad, he was welcomed by thousands of supporters and local NCP MLA Balasaheb Patil.
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, who hails from Karad, was also present.

(With agency inputs)