Sharad Pawar shares stage with Chhagan Bhujbal for Savitribai Phule event

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and disgruntled NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday shared a stage in Pune to mark the birth anniversary of legendary educationist and social reformer Savitribai Phule.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhujbal said many were "surprised" at the two sharing a stage but asserted "we will always come together for great personalities like Mahatma Phule, Shahu Maharaj and Babasaheb Ambedkar".  The Nationalist Congress Party split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar, Bhujbal and several others joined the Eknath Shinde government. The NCP name and 'clock' symbol was given to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar, while the one under Sharad Pawar was christened NCP (SP).  The two parties have been bitter rivals since. Bhujbal has been upset with his party, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, after he was not included in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet. In the days following the swearing-in ceremony on December 15, Bhujbal had lashed out at the deputy CM over his non-inclusion.  Speaking at the event organised at Chakan's Krushi Utpann Bazaar Samiti (APMC), NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar slammed the Union government for imposing duty on onion exports, which was greatly distressing farmers.  "Long ago, Mahatma Phule had spoken about the pain of these farmers. The Central government should follow the example of Mahatma Phule while taking decisions concerning farmers," the former Union agriculture minister said. Heaping praise on Mahatma Phule, Pawar said the social reformer promoted science and technology during his time and was a successful contractor who supplied building material for construction projects of the British government, including Pune's Khadakwasla dam.  Bhujbal said the organisers took the right decision to invite Pawar as the process to build a grand memorial for Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule started when the latter was chief minister. "Many are surprised that Pawar saheb and I have come together on one stage. I want to tell you, be it Mahatma Phule or Shahu Maharaj, Babasaheb Ambedkar or other great reformers, we will always come together for all these great people," Bhujbhal asserted.