‘Hard To Believe…’: Former Maha CM Chavan After Ajit-Sharad Pawar Meeting Sparks Row – News18

The meeting between Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar has stirred up quite a controversy with several political leaders, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, thinking that BJP ruled Centre is mulling a key cabinet position for senior Pawar. The 82-year-old, however, clarified his stance and asserted he will not align with the BJP and instead work towards bringing about a change in 2024.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, however, was not convinced. In a statement, he said: “There have been three meetings between Ajit and Sharad Pawar. We were told they were impromptu, but it is hard to believe. This latest meeting among Ajit, Senior Pawar, and Jayant Patil did indeed take place. Initially, there were attempts to deny this meeting. Obviously, some message has been conveyed to Senior Pawar. However, there has been no denial about this message.”

The meeting between the NCP founder and Ajit Pawar on August 12 at businessman Atul Chordiya’s residence in Pune had sent political circles abuzz with speculation. It also did not go down well with the Congress and the Shiv Sena group led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray.

The former chief minister said thar the meetings have conveyed a lot of confusion, even amongst NCP workers. “Sharad Pawar has not provided any clear message. The split occurred on July 2nd; it’s been a month and a half, and except for one meeting, he has not taken any political action against the Ajit faction,” added the ex-CM.

Although Sharad Pawar has now conveyed that he is not going anywhere, Chavan had earlier mentioned that MVA workers were keenly waiting for what he says in Beed.

Talking about party’s stance for 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Chavan said that it is important for each MVA party to contribute maximum to INDIA candidate.

After the split, Congress took a review of all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies but they have not reviewed the ground situation due to the split. “We are the only party that has never aligned with BJP or any communal party. I’m sure Sena did it’s own exercise. We will all sit together and work out a seat sharing arrangement,” added the former Chief Minister.

The leader also mentioned that he is ready take along any party or person, whoever decides to come and fight against the BJP.

“Whatever Sharad Pawar does is not going to affect MVA. MVA will continue with or without the people from NCP,” said Chavan.

On Wednesday, Sharad Pawar, said nixed the speculation that the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) were working on a ‘Plan B’ to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls without his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) are constituents of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

“The news of a ‘Plan B’ (by Congress and Sena-UBT to together contest polls) is wrong. No such plan is being made. There is a need for change in 2024 and therefore were are preparing for it, ” Sharad Pawar told reporters in Aurangabad ahead of his public rally in Maharashtra’s Beed district on Thursday.