Ajit Pawar should not challenge us, says Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule

BJP Maharashtra unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar should not challenge the saffron party in Vidarbha as it was "ready to accept any challenge"

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Maharashtra unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar should not challenge the saffron party in Vidarbha as it was "ready to accept any challenge".

Bawankule was speaking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan complex premises while replying to a query on Pawar's statement that he would decimate the BJP leader.

"I have paid only one visit to Baramati, which left Ajitdada so much scared. Hence, yesterday Pawar said in the House that he would finish me off. However, he does not have the guts to finish us. On the contrary, people will finish them off in 2024 (elections)," the BJP leader said.

Baramati is the Assembly constituency of Pawar.

"We have appealed to the public that development of Baramati city is not the development of Baramati Lok Sabha and entire western Maharashtra. People are not pleased by the attitude of Ajit Pawar....He should not challenge us in Vidarbha. We are ready to accept any challenge at any place and of any level," he said.