Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) leader Rohit Pawar on Saturday said doubts persist over the circumstances surrounding the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in an air crash in Baramati on January 28, and announced that he would present details on the incident in Mumbai on February 10.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in the Zilla Parishad elections in Baramati, Rohit Pawar said questions remained unanswered about the crash and that he would outline possible reasons behind it. “Everyone has questions and doubts in their minds (about the crash). I will give a presentation in Mumbai on February 10. Why the crash happened and how it might have happened, these issues will be raised,” he said.
Polling for 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis across Maharashtra was underway on Saturday. The elections had been scheduled for February 5 but were deferred following Ajit Pawar’s death.
Rohit Pawar said the late leader had wished for unity between the rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party and that efforts towards a merger would continue. The NCP (SP), led by Sharad Pawar, and the NCP have joined hands for the local body elections, with candidates contesting on the latter’s ‘clock’ symbol.
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“Ajit dada sincerely wished that everyone should come together as one family, and everyone has come together today. ‘Dada’ had made efforts. We will continue to make efforts in the same manner. The (Pawar) family is still united,” he said.
The Karjat-Jamkhed MLA added that he would elaborate on the proposed merger at a later date. “Why was the merger supposed to happen, and for what? What was Ajit dada’s true intention? Whether it had a political dimension or an emotional one? I will explain it on February 12,” he said.
Reacting to Rohit Pawar’s remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said several leaders had expressed doubts over the incident, including NCP MLA Amol Mitkari, NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal, and NCP (SP) MP Bajrang Sonawane.
Raut criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for cautioning against politicising the issue. “Why are you (Fadnavis) threatening everyone? If his family and friends have doubts about Ajit Pawar’s death, then why should CM Fadnavis and the BJP leadership should feel sad about it,” Raut said.
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