Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) SP chief, Sharad Pawar, on Saturday distanced himself from new developments in the political circles of Maharashtra that include the NCP faction’s decision to replace deceased Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, with his wife, Sunetra Pawar.
Sharad Pawar claimed he had “no idea” about Sunetra’s swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, and said he had only learnt of it from the press.
“We didn’t know about the swearing-in. We found out about it through news reports. I have no idea about the swearing-in,” he said at a press conference in Baramati, when asked if anyone from the Pawar family would be attending the ceremony.
The senior leader said that the NCP may have made the decision, but that there had been no discussions with him. “I am not aware of the swearing-in. I didn’t even know that it was scheduled for today. There was no discussion with me about the swearing-in. Her party (NCP) may have made the decision. The names of Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare came up, and it is learnt that they took the initiative. They might have taken a decision internally within the party,” he said.
The NCP (SP) chief contemplated that the ruling faction may have felt that someone should take up the post after Ajit Pawar’s death in an air crash.
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He also expressed optimism about Ajit’s wish to unite the NCP factions, saying Ajit and NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil had been holding talks for the last four months [to reunite the factions] and were leading the discussions with a consensus reached about working together, but the unfortunate crash had stalled the process.
“We cannot bring Ajit back. We have lost him. Now we have to see how to face the situation,” he said, adding, “The decision on the merger was supposed to be announced on February 12. Ajit had given this date, but unfortunately, the accident took place.”
Sources from the NCP had said on Friday that Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar is likely to be sworn in as deputy chief minister on Saturday, replacing her late husband Ajit Pawar in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet. Ajit Pawar had died in the January 28 air crash in Baramati.
When further probed about whether he was taken into confidence before Sunetra Pawar’s name was proposed for the deputy chief minister’s post, Pawar said, “What kind of confidence? Their party is different. Our party is different.”
The former Union minister and veteran leader also denied any knowledge of the BJP’s involvement in the developments. On theories being floated about the plane crash, Sharad Pawar said that the DGCA had initiated the probe and would examine all aspects.
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