Page 17 - Ajit Pawar

Will meet PM Modi on July 18 to discuss farmers' issues: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 18 and will raise the issues faced by farmers in the state during the meeting. Pawar, who bagged the key Finance and Planning portfolio on Friday, said he and other Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs who joined the Eknath Shinde-led government on July 2, were happy with the allocation of portfolios. Speaking during a media interaction here, Pawar said, "I will meet PM Narendra Modi on July 18. During the meeting, I will take up various issues related to farmers with him. (NCP leader) Praful Patel and I will attend the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting." The deputy CM arrived in Nashik to attend the 'Shasan Aplya Dari' (government at your doorstep) programme. Asked about Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's reported claim that as the Shinde-led faction was not willing to part with the finance portfolio, it was asked to give up the CM's post, the NCP

Will meet PM on July 18 to discuss issues of farmers, says Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 18 and will raise the issues faced by farmers in the state during the meeting. Pawar, who bagged the key Finance and Planning portfolio on Friday, said he and other Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs who joined the Eknath Shinde-led government on July 2, were happy with the allocation of portfolios. Speaking during a media interaction here, Pawar said, "I will meet PM Narendra Modi on July 18. During the meeting, I will take up various issues related to farmers with him. (NCP leader) Praful Patel and I will attend the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting." The deputy CM arrived in Nashik to attend the 'Shasan Aplya Dari' (government at your doorstep) programme. Asked about Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's reported claim that as the Shinde-led faction was not willing to part with the finance portfolio, it was asked to give up the CM's post, the NCP

Ajit Pawar takes charge as Maharashtra's finance and planning minister

Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar was given the Finance and Planning portfolio on Friday, nearly two weeks after he broke away from the original party and took oath as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister. Eight of Pawar's NCP colleagues who were sworn in as ministers on July 2 also received their portfolios, said a statement issued by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's office. As per the statement, Dhananjay Munde has been given Agriculture, while Dilip Walse-Patil will be the Cooperation minister. The other NCP ministers with their allocated ministries are Hasan Mushrif (Medical Education), Chhagan Bhujbal (Food and Civil Supplies), Dharmrao Atram (Food and Drugs Administration), Sanjay Bansode (Sports), Aditi Tatkare (Woman and Child Development) and Anil Patil (Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management), it said. With the inclusion of 9 NCP ministers, there are 29 cabinet ministers in Maharashtra. Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs apparently had objected to the allocation o

NCP's Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel meet BJP leaders amid tussle over portfolios

NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior BJP leaders late on Wednesday night amid a tussle over the allocation of portfolios to the latest entrant in the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP coalition in Maharashtra. The stand-off over portfolios has persisted since the surprise swearing-in of Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP legislators as ministers in the Maharashtra government on July 2 after a split in the Sharad Pawar-led outfit. Pawar's nephew Ajit and senior leaders Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Sunil Tatkare walked out with a major chunk of MLAs and MLCs of the NCP, staking claim to the name and election symbol of the party. Patel insisted that the meeting with Shah and other BJP leaders was a "courtesy call" as he and Ajit Pawar had not met them formally since joining the ruling alliance in Maharashtra. NCP has been insisting on the crucial finance and water resources portfolios, which the Shiv Sena is learnt to have opposed strongly. Patel

Cabinet expansion soon: CM Shinde after meeting with Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar

Shinde was speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with Maharashtra deputy CMs, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, at his official residence, on Tuesday late night

We have aligned with BJP, but not abandoned our 'ideology': Chhagan Bhujbal

Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has said though they have aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party, they have not abandoned their "ideology", and criticised NCP founder Sharad Pawar for changing his stand on joining hands with the BJP on multiple occasions. Bhujbal claimed 45 of the 53 NCP MLAs have gone with Ajit Pawar and said, "What would have I done by remaining outside." Speaking to reporters at Mahatma Phule Wada in Pune on Monday, Bhujbal said Sharad Pawar announced support to the BJP in 2014 after it formed government following the Assembly polls without the Shiv Sena's backing. "That time I wondered and said we are in the Opposition. In 2017 also, when I was in jail, five leaders from the NCP and five leaders from the BJP discussed about NCP's induction in the government. That time, the BJP was told to drop its ally Shiv Sena to pave the way for a BJP-NCP government. Then also he (Pawar senior) backtracked," he claimed. Asked whether he has changed his ideology

Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar meet CM Eknath Shinde at Varsha

Earlier, on Monday, Union Minister of State for Social Justice, Ramdas Athawale met state minister Chhagan Bhujbal

Rebellion took place in NCP chief's family: Bhujbal attacks Sharad Pawar

Newly-inducted Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday questioned the purpose of Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar's rally a day earlier in Nashik and said the rebellion in the party took place in the latter's family and not because of him. Pawar had held a rally in Nashik's Yeola, the Assembly constituency of Bhujbal, on Saturday and had told the gathering he erred in trusting some people, an apparent swipe at the latter. Bhujbal, along with eight NCP colleagues, including Ajit Pawar, had joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2 after splitting from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. "Sharad Pawar saheb, why did you come to Yeola? I could not understand it. I am not responsible for the rebellion. It happened in your family," Bhujbal said at a press conference here. Hitting out further, Bhujbal said he was an Other Backward Classes leader who holds rallies and gives speeches and, therefore, Sharad Pawar, popularly referred to as Maratha strongman, may have chosen h

Win, lose, or draw straws: Maharashtra politics may see a silent upheaval

While arithmetic political stability is a reality, politics in Maharashtra is likely to see a silent upheaval

What''s age got to do with it: Sharad Pawar on Ajit's suggestion to retire

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has scoffed at estranged nephew Ajit Pawar's suggestion that he should retire from active politics, saying he will continue working as party workers want him to keep going. Do you know at what age Morarji Desai became the prime minister? I don't want to become the PM or a minister but only want to serve the people, Pawar said when asked about Ajit's remark that at 83 years, it was time for his uncle to retire. Asserting that he was not old yet, Pawar echoed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's words, saying, "Na tired hu, na retired hu." (I am neither tired nor retired). "Who are they to tell me to retire? I can still work," Pawar said in an interview to Mumbai Tak, India Today's Marathi digital news channel. To another query on the succession war in the family after Ajit Pawar's remarks that he was sidelined as he wasn't somebody's (Sharad Pawar's) son, the veteran politician said, I don't want to say much on this topic. I don't like discussing ...

Maharastra's Dy CM Fadnavis leaves Varsha after meeting with CM Shinde

On the split in the NCP, Shinde said the party should introspect on everything that was happening within the rank and file

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Nobody unhappy in my party over Ajit Pawar joining govt: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said nobody in Shiv Sena is unhappy over NCP leader Ajit Pawar's inclusion in the state ministry. Shinde described as rumours spread by opposition reports that his chief ministerial chair may be in jeopardy after Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined his year-old state ministry. Some Shiv Sena legislators had apparently raised concerns after the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joining the state government. Shinde presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs on Wednesday. Ajit Pawar's remark that he wants to be the CM has created a flutter in political circles. The remark has made the Shinde camp, which is awaiting the Assembly Speaker's ruling on disqualification complaint against its MLAs, nervous. Maharashtra minister Uday Samant, who belongs to the Shinde-led group, said reports about Shinde's resignation were false.

'Kattappa stabbing Babubali' poster put up outside NCP office in Delhi

Rashtrawadi Vidyarthi Congress put up a poster depicting a scene from the film 'Baahubali', showing Ajit Pawar as "Kattappa" who is stabbing "Amarendra Baahubali" Sharad Pawar in the back

Sharad Pawar to convene party's working committee meet in Delhi today

As the fight for the party name and symbol reached the Election Commission, Sharad Pawar said it is time to create a new generation of leaders

MLAs from Shinde-led Sena revolting after induction of NCP leaders in govt

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut on Thursday claimed MLAs from the Shiv Sena-led by Maharashtra Chief Eknath Shinde have started revolting after NCP leader Ajit Pawar along with eight other party MLAs joined the state government. Some MLAs (from Shinde bloc) have been sending messages that they want to "seek forgiveness from 'Matoshree'," the Lok Sabha member further claimed while talking to reporters. Many MLAs from the Shiv Sena have said if 'Matoshree' approaches them, then they will reply "positively", Raut added. 'Matoshree' is the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra area of Mumbai. CM Shinde has been working to assuage the concerns of Shiv Sena lawmakers after Ajit Pawar joined the coalition government on Sunday and asserted there was nothing to worry, according to Sena legislators. Shinde, who presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs on Wednesday, was kept in the loop about the fast-paced developments in the NCP which culminated in Aji

Ajit Pawar support to NDA will further weaken MVA: Ramdas Athawale

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the latter's residence here on Thursday and said Pawar's support to the NDA will "further weaken" the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (A), said it was a courtesy visit after Pawar became the deputy CM of the state. Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to become deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government. Eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet. Speaking to reporters after meeting the deputy CM, Athawale said, Ajit Pawar's support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has increased the strength (of the ruling side) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly to more than 200. His support will result in the MVA getting weakened further. The MVA comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv

Ajit Pawar's associates acquired assets at low prices: Court on MSBC case

Assets of a sugar cooperative were acquired by close associates of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at throwaway prices, a special court here has said while taking cognisance of a chargesheet filed by the ED in a money laundering case pertaining to the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB). Special Judge M G Deshpande in the order passed on Wednesday, after perusing the chargesheet, documents submitted along with it and witness statements, said it demonstrates a classic example of generation of proceeds of crime from criminal activity and it constitutes an offence under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Hence, there are cogent, sound and prima facie sufficient grounds to direct issuance of process (summons) against all the accused, the court said while directing all the accused to appear before it themselves or through their lawyer on July 19. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in April this year filed its chargesheet against three accused Guru ...

Ajit Pawar reaches EC, says he's NCP chief, stakes claim to party symbol

EC to decide fate of Ajit faction's MLAs; 32 turn up to support Ajit, Sharad Pawar parades 18

Ajit Pawar elected NCP president on June 30: Group to Election Commission

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP has informed the Election Commission that he has been elected national president of the party. A statement issued on Wednesday on behalf of the Ajit Pawar-led faction said the Election Commission has been informed through an affidavit that he was elected NCP chief through a resolution dated June 30, 2023 signed by an "overwhelming majority" of members of NCP, both from the legislative and organisational wing. Praful Patel continues to be NCP working president, the release said. The NCP has also decided to appoint Ajit Pawar as the leader of NCP Legislative Party in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and this decision was also ratified by the resolution passed by an overwhelming majority of NCP MLAs, the statement said. An attempt is being made by certain elements within the NCP to spread a sense of fear and confusion amongst the elected representatives of the NCP and also the party cadre working in different organisational ...