Ajit Pawar’s ‘You’re 83… Retire’ jibe at uncle Sharad, Supriya Sule hits back
Ajit Pawar pulled no punches as he told estranged uncle Sharad Pawar that it was time for him to retire and hand over the reins of the NCP to him.
“You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar),” Ajit Pawar said.
“BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. This allows the new generation to rise. You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings,” Pawar said while addressing the rebel NCP faction at a meeting in a massive show of strength.
“You are 83, aren’t you going to stop? Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life,” the deputy chief minister added.
In the most direct attack on Sharad Pawar so far, the younger Pawar also warned the octogenarian to not be stubborn.
The Ajit Pawar faction flaunted 31 MLAs at the meeting in Mumbai today against the 13 that were present at a separate meeting headed by Sharad Pawar.
Meanwhile, NCP working president Supriya Sule responded to Ajit Pawar’s remark on Sharad Pawar’s age and said, “Amitabh Bachchan is 82 and is still working.”
“Disrespect us, but not our father (Sharad Pawar). This fight is against the BJP government, which is the most corrupt party in the country,” Sule said in Mumbai.
“Some people believe that others have grown old and hence, they should just bless them. Why should they bless them? Ratan Tata is three years older than Saheb and leading the country’s largest group,” she added.
“The original NCP is with Sharad Pawar and the original symbol is us,” she added.
NCP DRAMA
The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, witnessed a split on Sunday with Ajit Pawar, claiming the support of over 40 MLAs and joining the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government in Maharashtra.
Nine NCP MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, were sworn in as ministers in the Maharashtra government at a surprise cabinet expansion on Sunday.
Ajit Pawar, with senior party leaders Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil by his side, asserted to be the real NCP.
Sharad Pawar also asserted to be the real NCP and expelled Patel and Lok Sabha member Sunil Tatkare from the party.
It had also written to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking to disqualify the nine MLAs who were sworn in as ministers on Sunday.