Page 10 - Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar visits Malvan fort, vows to erect Shivaji statue at same spot

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday visited the Rajkot fort here where a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed earlier this week and vowed to erect a grand structure of the warrior king at the same place. In a post on X, Pawar called Shivaji the pride and self-respect of Maharashtra. Very soon, a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be installed at the same place. This is my word, Pawar said. On Wednesday, Pawar apologised to the people of the state for the collapse of the structure, which was installed in the coastal Sindhudurg district's Malvan tehsil, around 480km from Mumbai. On Thursday, his party NCP also staged a protest against the collapse of the statue. Amid relentless attacks by the opposition over the episode, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday asserted he would not hesitate to touch the feet of the warrior king 100 times and apologise for the incident if required. The government has set up a technical committee to

Statue collapse: NCP holds protest, says everyone has right to agitate

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is part of the Maharashtra government, on Thursday staged silent protests across the state over the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue and demanded action against those responsible, while the party's state chief asserted that everyone has the right to agitate. The 35-foot statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder installed at Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg's Malvan tehsil collapsed on August 26, nearly nine months after it was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident has snowballed into a major political controversy with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) targeting the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government over it. The opposition leaders on Wednesday announced that on September 1, the MVA will take out a protest march in Mumbai against the statue collapse, while the ruling NCP also said it would stage silent protests in every district and tehsil of the state on Thursday and demand the installation of a stronger and larger statue o

Maha govt to allow women to lodge harassment complaints online: Ajit Pawar

The Maharashtra cabinet discussed PM Modi's instruction about online registration of women harassment cases and decided to adopt a different approach to prevent such incidents, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Monday. During a programme organised for "Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana" in Jalgaon on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed crimes against women an unpardonable sin and said the safety of women should be a priority. His strong remarks came against the backdrop of protests against the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital and the sexual abuse of two four-year-old school girls in Badlapur near Mumbai. Modi pointed out that an entire chapter is dedicated to crimes against women and children in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and if a woman cannot reach the police station, she can file an e-FIR, and no one can make any changes at the police station level. Talking to reporters here, Pawar said, "PM Modi has instructed about fili

Sexual offenders should be castrated: Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Amid the outrage over the Badlapur sexual assault incident, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said those guilty of offences against women should be castrated. He was speaking at an official program about the Mahayuti government's flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme for women at Yavatmal in eastern Maharashtra. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government in the state would not spare anyone accused of offences against women, whoever the person may be, and a bill providing for a more stringent punishment in such offences has been forwarded to the President for the assent, he said. "I personally feel that when such perverts lay hand on our mothers-sisters, our daughters, they should face such a legal punishment that they should not think of (repeating the offence) again. To put it in my language, such persons' private organ should be removed....Some people are so vile, that this must be done," Pawar said. Alleged sexual assault of two kindergarten girls at a school at Badlapur in

I pay attention only to what Shinde, Bawankule, and Fadnavis say: Ajit

Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Monday said he is not bothered about his criticism by others and is only concerned about what key leaders of the ruling Mahayuti alliance say. Pawar's remarks came a day after a group of BJP workers led by the party's Junnar chief Asha Buchake waved black flags at his convoy. I don't have anything to do with what other people say. I pay attention to the key people, CM Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP, Pawar told reporters during his Jan Sanman Yatra in Mumbai. The Nationalist Congress Party, led by Pawar, had demanded that Fadnavis, who also hold the Home portfolio, to clarify as to whether he approved of the behaviour of his BJP workers. Buchake had claimed that the NCP is trying to promote its candidate in the Junnar seat for the upcoming assembly polls. They are trying to strangle us Therefore we have adopted an aggressive stand, she told reporters after the protesters raised slogans ...

Had to go with Ajit Pawar as my bank faced troubles: NCP MLA Shingne

NCP MLA Rajendra Shingne has claimed that due to troubles faced by a cooperative bank with which he was associated, he had to side with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar after the party split last year. Ajit Pawar and several other MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state last year, leading to a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founded by Sharad Pawar. Shingne on Saturday shared the dias with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar at a programme in Wardha. Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the programme, the MLA, representing Sindkhed Raja in Buldhana district, said he has always respected Sharad Pawar. Shingne said he worked under the leadership of Sharad Pawar for around 30 years and that the latter has made a huge contribution to his political career and he will always be indebted to him. "However, of late, due to troubles faced by my district cooperative bank (in Buldhana) and helplessness, I had to go to them (ruling side) with Ajit Dada.

Mahayuti govt committed sin of fixing price for sisters' love: Sule

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Friday hit out at the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra over its flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, accusing it of committing the sin of fixing a price for sisters' love. She said leaders in the government remembered their sisters only after the Lok Sabha elections. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) performed better than the ruling alliance in the state in the parliamentary elections. The Eknath Shinde-led government comprising Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP has introduced the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' to provide a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women. The government will formally launch the scheme on August 17 by transferring the first instalment to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Speaking at the meeting of the opposition bloc MVA here, she said, "There is no money involved in the emotion of love. But the state government has linked the brother-sister relationship

Leading NCP huge responsibility, seat-sharing talks moving positively: Ajit

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party, has said that helming the NCP away from the shadows of his uncle and founder Sharad Pawar after the split is a huge responsibility. In an interview with PTI during his Jan Sanman Yatra, Pawar said on Thursday that the seat-sharing talks among the ruling Mahayuti partners NCP, Shiv Sena and BJP for the assembly polls are proceeding positively. Ajit Pawar and his loyalist MLAs broke away from NCP in July last year to align with the ruling alliance. He later got the party name and its clock symbol. Party founder Sharad Pawar, who now heads NCP (SP), is a part of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), also comprising Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress. This is the biggest responsibility that I have ever received. Till now, (Sharad) Pawar saheb was our leader and our chief. When I joined politics in 1991, there was no NCP by then. When I was in Congress, there were several leaders. Therefore, there

Made mistake by fielding my wife against my sister in LS polls: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said he made a mistake by fielding his wife Sunetra Pawar against his cousin Supriya Sule in the recent Lok Sabha polls. One should not allow politics to enter home, Pawar, who is currently on a statewide 'Jan Samman Yatra', told Marathi news channel Jai Maharashtra. As part of his mass outreach programme ahead of the state assembly polls, the deputy CM has been promoting the government's 'Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana', aimed at providing financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to women. In the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, Sunetra Pawar unsuccessfully contested the election from Baramati seat against sitting NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, daughter of Ajit Pawar's uncle Sharad Pawar. Sunetra Pawar was later elected to the Rajya Sabha. In July last year, Ajit Pawar and a number of other MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government, leading to a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founded Sharad Pawar. The Electi

Ajit Pawar to kick off NCP's Jan Samman Yatra from Nashik on Aug 8

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will begin the Jan Samman Yatra, an outreach programme of the ruling NCP ahead of the state assembly election, from Dindori in Nashik district on August 8, his party announced on Monday. Speaking at a press conference, NCP working president Praful Patel said the Ajit Pawar-led party and its allies in the ruling Mahayuti, BJP and Shiv Sena, have to fight the upcoming election together and win. The NCP put up a united front, with the entire top leadership, including Patel, senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal, and cabinet ministers and MLAs, remaining present at the press conference, where the yatra schedule was announced. The NCP leadership has insisted that the Jan Samman Yatra was not limited to constituencies of NCP MLAs. Party leaders will also visit seats held by allies Shiv Sena and BJP, as the party wishes to present a united face of Mahayuti, they said. Patel said Pawar would meet NCP workers to boost their confidence and find time for

Fadnavis taking political vengeance by using ex-cop Waze: Deshmukh

Former Maharashtra home minister and senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Sunday claimed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was taking "political vengeance" by levelling allegations against him using sacked police officer Sachin Waze. Talking to reporters here, Deshmukh challenged Fadnavis to make Justice Chandiwal Commission report public, claiming he had been given a clean chit. "Retired Justice Chandiwal conducted an inquiry for 11 months on the allegations against me by former Mumbai commissioner Parambir Singh and dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, who had clearly stated that neither I nor my PA had asked him for money or given him any," the NCP (SP) leader said. Waze on Saturday reiterated bribery allegations against Deshmukh, prompting the opposition to question the "timing" and Fadnavis assuring an inquiry. Deshmukh resigned as home minister in 2021 after Param Bir Singh accused him of setting a target to collect Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants in

Will quit politics if reports of Delhi visit proven right: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the ruling NCP, on Friday said he would quit politics if the veracity of the reports about him visiting New Delhi in disguise to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah before his party forged an alliance with the BJP, was proven. But if the reports are found to be wrong, those who made these allegations against him should quit politics, he challenged the leaders from the opposition parties, as he alleged that efforts were on to defame him. Reports published in a section of the media claimed that during an informal interaction held recently, Pawar himself said that he held some meetings with Amit Shah in the national capital on the alliance between the two parties. During that interaction, he reportedly said, "I used to wear a mask and a cap during air travel while going to Delhi to attend those meetings. I had changed my name also for air travel." Latching on to his reported statements, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) leaders

Pawar vs Pawar: SC seeks Ajit Pawar's response in NCP faction dispute

Sharad Pawar's NCP faction was granted provisional use of the party name and clock symbol following Ajit Pawar's split from the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Maharashtra govt asks K'taka to release more water from Almatti dam

In view of heavy rainfall in parts of western Maharashtra, the state government has urged Karnataka to release more water from Almatti dam to avoid flooding in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Thursday. Almatti dam, officially known as Lal Bahadur Shastri dam, is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna river in north Karnataka. Speaking to reporters, he said, "The Maharashtra government has asked Karnataka to increase the water discharge from Almatti dam to three lakh cusec from the current outflow of 2.5 lakh cusec." The water storage of Koyna dam in Maharashtra's Satara district increased by six thousand million cubic feet (TMC) in a very short period, and it is already 75 per cent filled, he said. "It means, we need to discharge water from Koyna dam, which will increase the water levels of Krishna river," he said. Koyna dam is built on the Koyna river and its storage capacity is 105 TMC. The Koyna river is the biggest tributary of the ...

Ajit Pawar announces to go solo in upcoming Maharashtra local body polls

Pawar said that despite having contested Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha together as Mahayuti, every party will contest local body election as per their strengths

'Ajit Pawar's NCP behind BJP's poor show': RSS magazine on Maha LS polls

The magazine said that the BJP's decades-old partnership with the Shiv Sena and its latest faction was 'Hindutva based' and thus 'natural' but that was not the case with the NCP

Ajit Pawar's NCP faces setback as top leaders resign to join Sharad Pawar

NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad Unit Chief Ajit Gavahane and three others from the unit have quit Ajit Pawar's NCP faction to join Sharad Pawar

Maha govt to give 3 LPG cylinders to women, girls with low annual income

He further urged the public of the constituency to elect Mahayuti in the upcoming Assembly elections and insisted them to not to trust any other party

Didn't change parties, corruption allegations never proved: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has appealed to people to support him for development, asserting that he has stuck to his party ever since entering politics and that the allegations of corruption against him were never proved. People are my only party. Whatever I do, their welfare is my top priority. I always think how people will benefit, said the NCP leader in a video message. Pawar's video message, appealing to the people to back him, comes amid speculations of discontent within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, after its poor performance in Lok Sabha polls in the state. In this year's Lok Sabha elections, the Mahayuti bagged just 17 of the state's 48 seats, with the BJP's tally coming down to nine from the 23 (it won in 2019). While the Sena got 9 seats, NCP won only 1. By contrast, the MVA bloc of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) won 30 seats. Defending the budget he presented last week in the state ...

Delhi Cabinet to begin drafting note for Rs 1,000 monthly aid for women

Delhi govt FY25 Budget aims to provide Rs 1,000 in monthly assistance for eligible women aged above 18. Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have drafted similar schemes