Modi a "smooth talker", says Pawar; mocks PM on note ban

NCP President Sharad Pawar today described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "smooth talker" while taunting him over the note ban decision and wondered if he would now go after the gold ornaments worn by people.
The former Defence Minister took potshots at Modi and highlighted the problems faced by common people following his decision to scrap the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.
"People told me: The next step (after demonetisation) is that the Government will check the gold ornaments we are wearing. This is how things are now. That means this is our last term as Parliament members. People will never elect us again," he said at a rally in Pimpalgaon near here.

"People told me: You speak to him (Modi) about the problems caused by demonetisation as you have good relations with him. They said when Modi came to an event in Pune, he praised me, saying 'it was I who guided him in politics'," Pawar said.
"I said, this is it. I brought him into politics. He (Modi) is a smooth talker. He speaks in such a powerful manner that the person hearing him believes there is something to the man...That he must be having a 56-inch chest," he said.
The Maratha strongman noted that BJP's own ally Shiv Sena had opposed the currency scrap exercise and it should now decide what punishment should be given to the PM for the "failed" drive.

"Modi said give him 50 days and (if demonetisation didn't succeed, he was willing to bear any punishment people gave him. Shiv Sena is their ally. I read (Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray's speech where he said in which public square should Modi be made to stand (to accept punishment)," he said.

The former Agriculture Minister said people are bearing the brunt of the note ban exercise which has caused collapse of remunerative prices for vegetable growers.
"The promised 50 days are over. Prices of all items have collapsed, be it onions or tomatoes. I had two acres of brinjal crop in my farm. A fortnight ago, I went home and asked my associate who handles the farm work about the earnings from the brinjal crop.

"When he gave me the receipt, I said it shows even the transportation cost was not recovered. If this is the plight of a person like me, what will be your situation?" wondered the veteran Parliamentarian.
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When asked about the political scenarios likely to
emerge in the poll-bound states and if the poll outcome would be a litmus test for Narendra Modi government, Pawar said, "Elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are important."
He said it is difficult to make assessment about Uttar Pradesh, given the feud between Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav.

"However, the situation is favourable for the Congress in Punjab, but nothing can be said about the likely impact at this juncture," the NCP chief added.
On advancement of Union budget, Pawar said he would soon call on President Pranab Mukherjee and also approach Election Commission.
Earlier in the day, Pawar addressed a farmers' rally at Pimpalgaon Baswant village near here.
He said NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, currently in jail in connection with a money laundering case, had accomplished many developmental projects in Nashik during his tenure as a minister in erstwhile Congress-NCP government.
"We are proud of the developmental works done by him. The case is sub judice. Party will respect whatever the judgement will be in Bhujbal's case," the NCP chief said.

On the arrest of an NCP worker in connection with the printing of fake currency notes in Nashik and that of ex-MP Devidas Pingale in a suspected embezzlement case, Pawar said the NCP has started a "cleansing drive" in the party.