Even though NCP chief Sharad Pawar has asked party office bearers to support Congress candidate Suresh Kalmadi, his nephew Ajit Pawar refuses to comply
Even though NCP chief Sharad Pawar has asked party office bearers to support Congress candidate Suresh Kalmadi, his nephew Ajit Pawar refuses to comply
Congress candidate Suresh Kalmadi seems to have become a bone of contention between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar.
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Main hoon na: NCP chief Sharad Pawar has asked his party workers to support Suresh Kalmadi. Pic/Anil Naik |
This was clearly evident from the fact that Ajit Pawar, who handles the party affairs in Pune district, has not been attending any of the rallies that had been organised in support of Kalmadi.
Even at yesterday's rally, held at Gokhale Nagar, the senior Pawar was present and extended his support to Kalmadi, but Ajit preferred to give it a miss.
In fact, Sharad Pawar had addressed three rallies in support of Kalmadi (on March 28, April 4 and 13 respectively) and all three times his nephew was noticeably absent.
However, Kalmadi was nonchalant, "It does not matter, as the senior Pawar is campaigning for me."
The local fall-outThe local unit of NCP and Congress had been at loggerheads since the 2007 civic elections. In the Pune Municipal Corporation, it is the NCP and Shiv Sena who are at power while the BJP and Congress are in opposition. Hence, the NCP workers at the grassroots don't really want to support someone who is their rival in the Municipal Corporation.
