Page 12 - Ajit Pawar

Will reconsider his stand against old pension scheme, says Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said his earlier stand against the old pension scheme has changed and he would reconsider it positively and added that the state government wants to strike a balance between salaries, pension amount and its burden on the state's finances. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Pawar said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and he have already held a primary discussion over the issue of the old pension scheme (OPS). Notably, several government and semi-government employees in Maharashtra have been demanding restoration of the OPS, which was discontinued in the state in 2005. Under the OPS, a government employee gets a monthly pension equivalent to 50 per cent his/her last drawn salary. There was no need for contribution by employees. Under the New Pension Scheme, a state government employee contributes 10 per cent of his/her basic salary plus dearness allowance with the state making a matching contribution. The

Discussed ban on ethanol from sugarcane juice with Gadkari: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said he met with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to discuss the Centre's ban on the use of sugarcane juice or syrup in the production of ethanol. Talking to reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Pawar said he met Gadkari on Sunday and discussed the ban. However, the issue needed to be addressed at the Central level, and he will meet Union Minister Amit Shah soon. Last week, the Centre announced a ban on the use of sugarcane juice and sugar syrup' for ethanol production in the 2023-24 supply year, which started this month, to maintain adequate sugar availability for domestic consumption and to keep prices under check. However, the government has allowed the use of 'B-molasses', a cane by-product, for ethanol production in 2023-24. "Since this issue is at the Central level, we will have to visit Delhi and meet Union Minister Amit Shah and the others concerned. And we will be meeting them soon," Pawar said. Ethanol, a colourless

Supriya Sule slams BJP for insulting Nawab, says it has trapped Pawar group

NCP working president Supriya Sule has described the BJP as Bhrashta Jumla Party and accused it of insulting former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik and "trapping" the Ajit Pawar group. Reacting to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's letter to Ajit Pawar opposing Malik sitting on a treasury bench seat, Sule said, I read that letter and the way Nawab Malik has been insulted is wrong. Speaking to PTI on Thursday, she alleged that the BJP has turned into Bhrashta Jumla Party and they have "trapped" the Ajit Pawar group. Fadnavis on Thursday wrote to Ajit Pawar conveying his reservation about including Malik, an accused in an ED case, in the ruling Maha Yuti' alliance. Out on medical bail after the ED arrested him in February 2022 in a money-laundering probe, Malik attended the winter session of the state legislature here for the first time on Thursday and was later seen in the office of Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the legislature complex. In

Row in Maharashtra assembly over Nawab Malik's induction in ruling alliance

Malik is out on medical bail after the ED arrested him in February 2022 in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides

Maha govt tables supplementary demands worth Rs 55,520 cr in state assembly

The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Thursday tabled supplementary demands worth Rs 55,520.77 crore in the state assembly on the first day of the winter session of the legislature here. The supplementary demands, which are additional funds sought by the government over the budgetary allocation, were tabled in the House by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar. Of the total, supplementary demands worth Rs 19,244.34 crore were described as mandatory expenditure, while demands worth Rs 32,792.81 crore are required for various ongoing programmes and schemes of the state government, a note issued by the finance department said. Besides that, supplementary demands worth Rs 3,483.62 crore are towards the state's contribution to the ongoing schemes of the Union government, it said. "There are several ongoing schemes which require a portion of financial expenditure from the state's coffers," a finance department official said. The actual impact of these supplementary demands on the state

Won't be surprised if INDIA blames EVMs for polls outcome: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said he would not be surprised if some people cry foul and put the blame on EVMs for the assembly polls outcome, as counting was underway in four states. The BJP was racing towards power in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and had a distinct edge in Chhattisgarh while the Congress was poised to oust the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana. Speaking to reporters, Pawar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work was being appreciated by the people. "I will not be surprised if people from the INDIA alliance start blaming the EVMs (electronic voting machines) for the results," he said. It would be like crying foul, he added. When I was in government in the past, my opinion at the time was that tampering with EVMs was impossible. Just one person cannot tamper with the EVMs on such a large scale. You need many people to do it, and when a number of people get involved in such a practice, it would have ..

Benefits of central schemes should reach last man: Ajit Pawar lauds PM Modi

Maharashtra is set to undergo polls next year. The state had undergone several political disturbances in its last legislative term

Sharad Pawar camp questions before EC the premise of dispute in NCP

The Sharad Pawar faction on Friday questioned before the Election Commission the very premise of dispute in the NCP, claiming those who were part of conducting organisational polls in the party in 2018 cannot claim in 2023 that those elections were flawed. Sharad Pawar faction's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said between 1999 and 2018, there were no allegations that Sharad Pawar was not the leader of the party or that the elections were faulty. "It is for the first time in 2023 that an allegation was levelled that the polls held in 2018 and subsequently at the lower level were flawed and so was the national convention," he told reporters as the hearing continued at the EC on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's claim on party name and symbol. He said his arguments will continue at the next hearing. He said those levelling allegations include Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel when it was Patel himself who had issued the notice under his sign calling the national convention. He

NCP disqualification pleas: Ajit camp submits 40 responses, Sharad group 9

The Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party on Friday submitted their responses to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar in connection with disqualification petitions filed against each other. The NCP split on July 2 after Ajit Pawar and eight MLA joined the Eknath Shinde government. Since then, both factions have laid claim to the party name and symbol and have petitioned the Speaker seeking disqualification of those owing allegiance to the other side. While the Ajit Pawar faction submitted 40 responses, the faction led by party founder Sharad Pawar submitted nine responses, sources said. "The hearing related to the disqualification petitions filed by NCP legislators is expected to be held next week. The concerned authorities will have to go through the documents and responses submitted by both sides," Vidhan Bhavan sources said. The NCP is recognised as one unit in both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature, they added. Separate hearings of b

Sharad Pawar faction delaying hearing, Ajit Pawar's counsel on NCP's name

The last hearing was conducted a week ago by the ECI which adjourned it after listening to both sides

Sharad Pawar faction urges EC to take penal action against Ajit camp

The Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP on Monday urged the Election Commission to take penal action against the Ajit Pawar group, alleging it filed fake affidavits before the poll panel. Two days before rebelling against uncle Sharad Pawar to join the Maharashtra government in early July, Ajit Pawar had approached the Election Commission on June 30 staking claim to the party name as well as the symbol. He had subsequently declared himself as the party president with the support of 40 lawmakers. After the fourth personal hearing by the EC on Monday, Sharad Pawar's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters that the alleged fake affidavits filed by the Ajit Pawar camp can be categorised into 24 categories of "fraud". He alleged that it was a case of "complete, shameless fraud" committed by the Ajit Pawar camp. Party founder Sharad Pawar was present when Singhvi spoke with reporters. The hearing will continue on Friday. Singhvi said "not one affidavit" submitted by the opposite side s

Our fight is ideological, not personal: Sule on Sharad, Ajit Pawar's meet

NCP President Supriya Sule said that she and her party leaders don't hold any personal differences with brother Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel meet Shah amid crisis over Maratha reservation

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Friday met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. The meeting took place amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra over the demand for reservation by the Maratha community and the hearing before the Election Commission on the claim over the NCP. "Had a meaningful meeting with Hon'ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji in Delhi, extending warm Diwali wishes. Grateful for the opportunity to pay a courtesy call and share festive joy," NCP working president Patel said on 'X'. Pawar was accompanied by Patel and Lok Sabha member Sunil Tatkare for the meeting. In June, Pawar joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra with support of more than 40 of the NCP's total 53 MLAs and leaving his uncle and founder of the regional outfit Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar has since staked his claim to the party's name and election symbol, a case which is being heard by the Election Commission. Ajit Pawar's meeting

Election Commission to hear pleas by NCP factions on party name, symbol row

One faction of the NCP is led by Sharad Pawar and the other by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar

No decision yet on demand to cut export duty, says Maharashtra minister

Maharashtra state marketing minister Abdul Sattar on Tuesday said a meeting called here for discussing onion traders' demand to slash the 40 per cent export duty on the kitchen staple ended without any decision as the concerned Union secretary was not present. The meeting was attended by Sattar, deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, and representatives of onion traders. A Union secretary was not present, hence no major solution was found on the issue of slashing 40 per cent export duty. The next meeting is scheduled for September 29 in Delhi which we will attend. I am hopeful that an amicable solution will be found, he said. Asked if the Maharashtra government has issued any directive to onion traders, Sattar said, The state has asked the traders to procure onions from farmers. Agencies such as NAFED will also start buying onions.

Will raise Muslim quota issue with CM Shinde and Fadnavis: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said he had held a meeting with the state minorities department minister and officials and would raise the Muslim quota issue with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to find a road ahead. Speaking to reporters in Pune, the NCP leader said he recently held a meeting with state minorities minister Abdul Sattar, officials from the concerned departments, and representatives of some organisations on the issues concerning the Muslim community. "Topics related to Maulana Azad Mandal, Wakf Board properties, and other issues were discussed at the meeting," he said. Pawar recalled that Muslims were granted the quota in education and government jobs (when the UPA government was in power). "The (high) court accepted the reservation (for Muslims) in education, but the quota in jobs was rejected. The Right To Education (RTE) Act was brought by the government for equal education later," he said. Pawar said he told the meeting that it was the opini

Will accept final decision of EC on NCP name and symbol: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said he would accept the "final" decision of the Election Commission of India regarding the NCP's name and poll symbol, in view of the claims submitted by the factions led by him and Sharad Pawar. He was speaking to reporters in Pune on the sidelines of his visit to various pandals of Lord Ganesh. Ajit Pawar had led eight MLAs to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra in July. He had claimed the support of a majority of MLAs of NCP, founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar, and staked claim to the party name and symbol in the ECI. The Sharad Pawar faction had challenged the Ajit Pawar faction's move in the poll body and the decision is pending. Asked about the Sharad Pawar faction taking action against MLAs who are joining his group, Ajit Pawar said they can exercise their rights. "However, it is the Elections Commission (EC) which makes a final decision. Both sides have gone to the ECI and everyone will put forth their sta

NCP MLC Eknath Khadse claims he declined offer to join Ajit Pawar's faction

Nationalist Congress Party MLC Eknath Khadse has claimed that he was contacted by a loyalist of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar asking him to join his faction but he declined the offer. I had received a call from NCP MLC Amol Mitkari on behalf of Ajit Pawar asking me to side with his faction. I told him flatly that I was loyal to Sharad Pawar. I will not leave him, Khadse told reporters. Khadse, a former minister, had left the Bharatiya Janata Party on a sour note ending the nearly 40-year-old association in 2020. After joining NCP, he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Commenting over the issue, Khadse's political rival from Jalgaon district and senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan said, I came to know that Khadse was trying to join the Ajit Pawar side but my advice to him is not to leave Sharad Pawar. He should stick with the senior Pawar. Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in July this year, triggering a turf war between

NCP split: Ajit faction submits disqualification plea against Sharad's MLAs

The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party has submitted a petition to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking disqualification of 10 MLAs affiliated to party founder Sharad Pawar. The petition was filed on Thursday by Anil Bhaidas Patil, who is the chief whip of the Ajit Pawar faction. The 10 MLAs named in the petition are Jayant Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Rajesh Tope, Rohit Pawar, Anil Deshmukh, Prajakt Tanpure, Balasaheb Patil, Sunil Bhusara, Sandeep Kshirsagar and Suman Patil, said Anil Bhaidas Patil. Incidentally, the Sharad Pawar faction has already filed disqualification petition against 40 MLAs who allied with Ajit Pawar. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, with legislators like Nawab Malik and Suman Patil maintaining a neutral stance. On July 2, the NCP suffered a split after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and Dilip Walse Patil, joined the Eknath Shinde government. Ajit Pawar was sworn in

Leaders from both NCP factions say there is no split or dispute in party

Senior leaders from both Sharad Pawar- and Ajit Pawar-led factions of the Nationalist Congress Party have said that there was no split in the party. The Election Commission has called the rival factions of the NCP for a personal hearing on October 6 following a petition filed by the Ajit group claiming that he has been elected as the party's national president. It is unfair on the part of the Election Commission of India to treat our case as a dispute within a political party when we have consistently maintained that there is no split, said Jayant Patil, the Maharashtra unit chief of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, on Tuesday. Sharad Pawar in his letter to the ECI stressed the fact that he never faced any opposition within the party. There is no dispute. There has been no opposition to my (Sharad Pawar's) policies from the party on any public platform, Patil told reporters. Pawar also sought time from the ECI to explain his side because there was no dispute but there has been some exchan