Page 18 - Ajit Pawar

NCP leaders at Ajit Pawar's house; Sharad Pawar says unaware of meeting

Nationalist Congress Party's senior leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday met some party leaders and MLAs at his official residence in Mumbai. However, NCP president Sharad Pawar, who was in Pune, said he was unaware of the meet, but added that Ajit Pawar, as leader of opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, can call a meeting of legislators. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of Ajit Pawar recently saying he was not keen on continuing as the LoP and wanted to work in the party organisation. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and party's working president Supriya Sule were among the leaders present at the meeting held at Ajit Pawar's official residence 'Devgiri', while state party president Jayant Patil was not present. Some MLAs were also present in the meeting. The agenda of the meet was not known. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune that he was unaware of the meeting in Mumbai. 'On July 6, I have called a meeting of senior leaders and decisions related to the

Key NCP leaders to take call on Ajit's desire for party role: Sharad Pawar

Days after Ajit Pawar appealed that he be assigned a role in the NCP organisation, party president Sharad Pawar on Monday said such a decision cannot be taken by one person and key party leaders will sit to take a call on it. Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, recently appealed to the party leadership to relieve him of the responsibility as Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly and assign him any role in the party organisation. Notably, Sharad Pawar recently entrusted the responsibility of Maharashtra to his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule by appointing her as a working president. Praful Patel is another working president for other states. Asked about Ajit Pawar's desire to have a position in the party organisation, the NCP chief said such decisions are not taken by any one person. "Key leaders including him (Ajit) will sit together and they will take a decision on this. Today, everyone in the party has the sentiment to work i

KCR trying to expand base in Maharashtra, will not succeed: Ajit Pawar

Referring to the hoardings of BRS in Maharashtra he said that when there is inflation and unemployment, the money is spent on banners and advertisements

Sharad Pawar's succession plan for NCP: King of the castle or pawn in game?

Where does Sharad Pawar's opening gambit of elevating daughter and lieutenant leave nephew Ajit Pawar on the NCP chessboard?

Stringent action must be taken against those who defame Oppn leaders: Ajit

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said on Friday that stringent action should be taken against those who try to defame Opposition leaders through social media and appealed to all political parties to desist from using foul language against one another. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar said that he tried to reach Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis over the death threat issued to NCP president Sharad Pawar on social media. We got to know whose account it is. In the bio, it is mentioned that the person is a BJP worker. We do not know whether he is really a BJP worker or whether his party told him to say so. The ideological fight should be fought ideologically, he said. Everyone has freedom of expression but why misuse it, he said. Who gave them the right to write something defamatory about any political leader, he asked. Ajit Pawar said he tried to get in touch with Shinde but was told the CM is on a tour. I tried to reach deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis but could

Winnability will be criterion while allocating tickets for LS polls: Pawar

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Monday said "elective merit" will be taken into consideration while allocating tickets to candidates for the next Lok Sabha elections. He also said the decision about the Shirur Lok Sabha seat, currently represented by Amol Kolhe of NCP, will be taken after discussion with senior leaders. In the 2019 polls, Kolhe defeated Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil of Shiv Sena (undivided) which contested in alliance with BJP. After severing ties with BJP after the last Assembly polls, Shiv Sena joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Pawar was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the review meeting of NCP which also discussed preparations for a public rally scheduled to be held in Ahmednagar to mark the party's foundation day on June 9. "While allocating tickets for Lok Sabha elections, the opportunity will be given to those candidates who have elective merit," the NCP leader said. Queried on Maharashtra BJ

Earlier railway ministers used to resign if train accidents occurred: Pawar

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said the country has never seen a bigger train accident than the Odisha tragedy in which at least 261 people were killed, and said that railway ministers used to resign after such accidents in the past but nobody was talking about it now. The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was talking to reporters at the Nagpur airport. At least 261 people were killed and 650 injured in the train crash in Odisha's Balasore district involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train on Friday. "The Odisha train accident is very unfortunate. The country has never seen such a big train accident before. The railway department and the government should immediately investigate this incident and take action against those responsible," Pawar said. When fast trains and Vande Bharat trains are being launched in the country to provide better transportation facilities, it is

Ajit Pawar praises new Parliament building, suggests MPs work for people

"Now in this new building, everyone shall work as per the constitution and resolve the issues of common people, everyone shall take part in it," he said

How Balasaheb's 'sack of flour' is known to go against the grain

Did Sharad Pawar get his timing right to save NCP and unify the Opposition?

Shinde's alliance with BJP didn't serve purpose even after 10 months: Ajit

"MVA is strong together. Neither anyone from the NCP is in contact with any party nor anyone from any other party is in touch with us," he added

Ensure refinery projects don't cause harm to environment: Ajit Pawar

Amid protests by a section of locals at Barsu in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district over a proposed oil refinery, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said one should ensure that development projects do not cause any damage to the environment. A section of residents in and around Barsu have been opposing the proposed refinery as they fear that the mega project will adversely affect the fragile biodiversity of the coastal Konkan region and also hit their livelihood. On Friday, as tempers ran high among protesters, the police used tear gas to disperse them. Talking about the issue, Pawar, who is Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, said, "We never opposed development projects in the state...Before implementing any projects, one should keep in mind that the environment is not harmed due to it in any manner. Apart from nature, local occupations like fishing should not be impacted due to it." He urged the Maharashtra government to hold discussions

Set up economic development corp for welfare of ageing folk artists: Ajit

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said an economic development corporation should be set up by the Maharashtra government for the welfare of elderly folk artists who have turned elderly now. In a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly also suggested that the corporation be named after late folk artist Vithabai Narayangaonkar. The corporation is necessary for the needs related to accommodation, food, medication of retired and elderly folk artists, and education of their children, Pawar said. During their active years as folk artists, they brought glory to the state's culture and folk art, he noted. "There should be an old age home for the folk artists," he added.

Making such remarks about PM doesn't feel right: Ajit on Kharge's jibe

Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Friday expressed disapproval about Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' jibe about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Asked by reporters here about Kharge's controversial comment, Pawar recalled how Yashwantrao Chavan, the first chief minister of Maharashtra, handled criticism with maturity. Addressing a campaign rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Kharge on Thursday likened Modi to a venomous snake. As a row erupted, he clarified that his remarks were not aimed at the Prime Minister but at the ruling BJP. Asked about the row, Pawar said Yashwantrao Chavan showed maturity when writer-journalist P K Atre took swipes at him. "Today Narendra Modi is our prime minister. Before that there were Manmohan Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee....It does not feel right to make such a statement about the prime minister of the country or chief minister of the state," he said. Incidentally, speculation was rife in Maharashtra for the last two

Grant classical language status to Marathi on May 1: Ajit Pawar asks Centre

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar on Thursday asked the Centre to accord classical language status to Marathi on the occasion of the Maharashtra Day on May 1. Pawar also sought that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde follow-up the demand with the central government. Maharashtra Day commemorates formation of the state on May 1, 1960. In a letter to the CM, Pawar said Marathi language fulfils every criteria to be given the status of classical language. Every department, including the Union Culture Ministry, and the Sahitya Akademi have given green signal to the proposal. Every department has given a positive report. The only thing left is approval of the Union cabinet, which is final, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said. ''I demand that the central government give approval to the same and as the 'Amrit kaal' gift accord classical language status to Marathi,'' he said. In February 2022, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising the then undi

Ajit Pawar leads race in 'Future CM' banners, Sharad Pawar not enthused

On Wednesday, Ajit Pawar's banners-posters as 'Future CM' popped up in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nashik and all the way in Nagpur

Pawar calls for sensitive handling of Ratnagiri protests against refinery

Ajit Pawar, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, on Tuesday demanded that the protests by locals against a refinery project in Ratnagiri district be handled with sensitivity and that the state government stop the survey work till there is a solution through peaceful means. In a statement, Pawar said suppressing the voice of journalists reporting on protests against the refinery project at Barsu in the district must be stopped. Everyone has the right to protest in a democracy. The protesters are being arrested. The government should respect the sentiments of the locals and deal with the issue showing sensitivity, he said in the statement. Pawar said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis should find a solution through dialogue. Till that time, the survey (for the refinery project) should be stopped, Pawar added. The refinery project was initially planned at Nanar in the district. Following protests by locals earlier, the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray

Why 2024, I am even now prepared for CM's post: NCP's Ajit Pawar

Pawar said that if the CM post was with NCP in 2004, RR Patil would have been chosen for the Chief Minister post

Not everyone can be CM: Fadnavis on Ajit Pawar's aspiration for the post

Fadnavis further added, "I don't know what is going on within the Maha Vikas Aghadi. I have repeatedly said that they are calling Vajra Muth but that Muth has many cracks, it can never be Vajra Muth"

Ajit Pawar skips NCP meet, does not figure in party's star campaigners list

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Friday skipped a convention of his party's Mumbai unit, raising eyebrows in political circles as speculation about his next political move refuses to die down. His name was also missing from the party's list of star campaigners for the Karnataka Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar said he was unable to attend the convention as it clashed with some other programs he had to attend, and nothing more should be read into it. The daylong meeting in Mumbai was addressed by party chief Sharad Pawar and senior leaders like Praful Patel, Jitendra Awhad, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal and state NCP president Jayant Patil. Talking about Ajit Pawar's absence from the meeting, NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the event was planned a month ago. Ajit Pawar had accepted invitations to several programmes in Pune. He expressed his inability to attend. All leaders have their schedules to follow. Just because they are .

Congress accuses BJP of fuelling speculation on Pawar's next political move

The Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday accused the BJP of fuelling speculation of a split in the NCP ranks even after senior party leader Ajit Pawar clarified his position. NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde must ask the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) why it was trying to put so much "pressure" on him and his Shiv Sena. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said he would work for his party till he is alive and scotched speculation that he and a group of MLAs loyal to him might align with the ruling BJP. Pawar said is no truth in reports about any rift in the NCP and his joining hands with the BJP. The NCP leader had also dismissed reports that he had taken the signatures of 40 of 53 MLAs of NCP amid a buzz about his rumoured alliance with the BJP. ''Even after Ajit dada Pawar clarified his position yesterday, the BJP is sowing news in the media through its sources. Eknath Shinde ji and his group must a