‘Happy for Sunetra’: Sharad Pawar backs her elevation as Maharashtra deputy CM, slams Devendra Fadnavis over NCP merger remark

PUNE: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said he was happy that Sunetra Pawar got the opportunity to become the deputy chief minister of the NCP following the death of his nephew Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Pawar also criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying he had no right to comment on the merger of both NCP factions.

Pawar returned to Baramati from Mumbai after cancelling his Delhi visit to participate in the Parliament session. "Be it the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha or the Assembly, I have been a member of these houses for 58 years, but for the first time, I could not attend the budget session due to the tragedy of Ajit Pawar’s death," Pawar said while speaking to the media in Baramati.




While refusing to comment on the decision of NCP working president Praful Patel and state chief Sunil Tatkare to hold the oath-taking ceremony of Sunetra Pawar on the third day after Ajit Pawar’s death, Pawar said, "I am happy that she got the opportunity."

Pawar also criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for commenting on the merger issue. "He was not involved in the merger discussions, and therefore, I do not think he has any right to speak on the matter," said the NCP (SP) chief.

He claimed that the discussions on the merger were mostly held between Ajit Pawar and former state chief of NCP (SP) Jayant Patil. Following Ajit Pawar’s death, the senior Pawar said, "Currently, our family’s focus is on supporting each other during this tough time. We are not discussing politics at the moment."

The veteran politician also dismissed doubts of foul play in the plane crash that claimed Ajit Pawar’s life.