Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly elections, a cold war between uncle and nephew has broke out, with Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar hitting back at Sharad Pawar on Wednesday saying it was not right on the part of NCP (SP) supremo to do so as he had got emotional while remembering his mother.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that he has always considered Sharad Pawar a god but after such an act by such a veteran, seasoned and experienced leader, it was in a bad taste. “Many people did not like it after he mimicked me. It would have been alright if it had been done by Yogendra Pawar, who is the NCP(SP) nominee against Uncle Ajit Pawar in Baramati, or others,” he said.
“I got a bit emotional after taking my mother’s name. I broke into tears and it was a natural one. Sometimes it happens. I did not take out my handkerchief but he did that,” Ajit Pawar added.
“For so long I thought that only Raj Thackeray mimics but yesterday ‘Saheb’ (Sharad Pawar) mimicked me,” the Deputy CM said. He reiterated that his estranged uncle should not have done it saying “I really feel very bad”.
Sharad Pawar on Tuesday mimicked Ajit Pawar at a rally in Pune district’s Baramati Assembly constituency.
Earlier on Monday, after filing his nomination from Baramati, Ajit Pawar became emotional while addressing a rally. He claimed that Sharad Pawar had caused a rift in the family and ran Yugendra Pawar against him.
“I previously admitted to making a mistake, but it seems like others are now making errors too. My family and I had agreed to file the form in Baramati first, but that didn’t happen. Despite the challenges, we managed to improve the situation. My mother has been very supportive, and she even advised that they should not nominate anyone against Ajit Pawar. However, I was told that Saheb (Sharad Pawar) instructed someone to file a nomination against me. Saheb created the split within the family. I just want to say that politics should not be brought to such a low level because it took generations to be united and it doesn’t take a single moment to break the family,” Ajit Pawar said.
In a viral video, Sharad Pawar could be seen mimicking Ajit Pawar by taking off his glasses and wiping his face with a handkerchief. This action elicited a massive cheer from the crowd gathered at the rally.
He added, “Be it Ajit Pawar or Yugendra Pawar, everyone has the right to contest elections in a democracy. It should be contested peacefully and try to put forward your policies before the public.” The former Union Minister also highlighted the importance of a peaceful election process and clear communication of policies.