Maharashtra polls: Sharad Pawar mimics Ajit Pawar, says 'will you split family for power ambitions'

The Nationalist Congress Party NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar turned the heat on his nephew CM Ajit Pawar on Tuesday virtually accusing him of breaking the family for his political ambitions reported the PTICampaigning for his grandnephew and NCP SP nominee from Baramati Yugendra Pawar Sharad Pawar mimicked Ajit Pawar who a day earlier became emotional over Yugendras candidature at a rallySharad Pawars action of pretending to wipe his eyes with a handkerchief in the middle of the speech evoked a peal of laughter from the audienceThe Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 are scheduled for November 20 Votes will be counted three days laterAddressing a rally on Monday Baramati MLA Ajit Pawar alleged that seniors should have ensured that a family rift is avoided referencing to Yugendras candidatureMy parents and brothers never taught me the sin to break the house family Sharad Pawar said while addressing a rally at Kanheri town near Baramati as per the PTIPeople tasked me with leading Maharashtra a long time ago I am now a mentor and have entrusted the party affairs to the new generation he saidUnderscoring the uncertainties of politics the former Union minister said one should not leave his colleagues for the sake of securing power for oneselfUnfortunately when we NCP were not in power some of our colleagues suddenly woke up at dawn and took oath That government didnt last for even for four days Sharad Pawar said according to the PTINotably Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister when he was a member of the opposition NCP undivided with BJPs Devendra Fadnavis as CM at Raj Bhavan amid a political tugofwar over the formation of a government post the 2019 assembly electionsHe Ajit went to the other side to secure the deputy chief ministers post despite having served as Deputy CM four times You got the position most of the time If you fail to get the position only once will you break the house family Sharad Pawar askedNow it is being said that I broke the family It is a funny thing to hear he addedThe veteran politician underlined that he never created a rift in the Pawar clan and everyone listened to him as the family headI never did anything by going against anyone and will never do so Going forward regardless of anyone taking any stand I will not go on the wrong track I will ensure that my family will remain united Sharad Pawar added the news agency reportedTargeting Ajit the Pawar senior referred to the formers speech at a rallyIt was said that I created a rift in the family The sin of breaking the family was never taught by my parents and brothers All my brothers including Anantrao Pawar father of Ajit Pawar lived with me he addedSharad Pawar recalled how he concentrated on politics in Maharashtra and at the national level while domestic issues and farming were taken care of by his family membersI could concentrate on my job because of the blessings of my brothers I wont discriminate against their children he addedHe highlighted the change of language used by Ajit Pawar from the campaigning for the Baramati Lok Sabha seat to the latest emotive pitchAjit Pawars wife Sunetra Pawar lost her maiden electoral contest from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency to her sisterinlaw and Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya SuleDuring Lok Sabha polls people were told by Ajit not to fall prey to emotion People were told that Pawar Saheb Sharad Pawar would shed tears and seek votes for his daughter Supriya Sule Sharad Pawar saidYou might have seen in yesterdays speech he said even as he took out a handkerchief pretending to wipe tears mimicking Ajit PawarSharad Pawar claimed he offered positions as ministers to several leaders but didnt entrust Supriya Sule with a single positionwith PTI inputs