Pawar Dares Modi to Act on Corruption Charges Within Party, Begins Maharashtra Tour

Mumbai: NCP founder Sharad Pawar on Saturday openly dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against those guilty of corruption in his party. The NCP founder’s demand comes 10 days after the Prime Minister raised the issue of corruption to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore by the NCP.

Amidst the political tussle with his nephew Ajit Pawar, Pawar set out on a Maharashtra tour on Saturday. The 82-year-old leader has also started contacting party workers in Assembly constituencies where sitting MLAs have joined the Ajit Pawar faction. The grassroots workers have been instructed that who wins is not important, but those who betrayed him must be defeated.

Almost a week after the revolt staged by the Ajit Pawar-led faction, the NCP founder left Mumbai in the morning for Nashik. The tagline for his first rally at Yeola, Nashik, the hometown of Chhagan Bhujbal, was in Marathi — “Ladhu aani Jinku” (fight and win). He received a grand welcome by farmers and party workers in Thane and Bhiwandi on his way to Nashik.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s attack on the NCP, he said, “I want to say as a president of the party to you that since you (read the PM) raised multiple allegations, including corruption, against my party. I want to openly say that the Prime Minister is in power. If any one of us has indulged in corruption, you should use all the probe agencies in order to find out the misdeeds. If your probes reach the conclusion that there is a misdeed, you are free to award punishment to them. In such a situation, we will all also support you.”

On Ajit’s remark on his retirement, the NCP chief said that nobody should unnecessarily raise the issue of his age; otherwise, it would cost them dearly. “One is free to criticise the policies and works of the party. But do not attack age and personal issues,” he said.

Speaking with the media in Nashik earlier in the day, the NCP founder said that he does not consider anyone an enemy in politics.

When asked whether the Ajit Pawar-led faction or the BJP was his bigger competitor, Mr Pawar said, “I do not consider anyone as an enemy. There are differences in politics. There are differences of opinion. But it does not mean enmity.”