‘I am neither tired nor retired’: NCP chief Sharad Pawar

Taking at dig at nephew Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar, 83, on July 8 said, “I will hold rallies outside Maharashtra. Na tired hu, na retired (I am neither tired, nor retired),” Mr. Sharad Pawar said.

Taking at dig at nephew Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar, 83, on July 8 said, “I will hold rallies outside Maharashtra. Na tired hu, na retired (I am neither tired, nor retired),” Mr. Sharad Pawar said.

Mr. Pawar started his Maharashtra tour from Yeola in Nashik district, around 250 kilometres away from Mumbai on July 8 and said he has launched a mission to rebuild his party again and said, “Do you know at what age Morarji Desai became the prime minister? I don’t want to become the PM or a minister but only want to serve the people.”

The senior Pawar started his tour at senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s (now with Ajit Pawar) constituency and will also be visiting Nashik, Pune, Solapur, and various areas in the Vidarbha region.

A day after breaking away from the party and swearing as the deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar in a public rally had criticized his uncle for working till 83. He had said, “You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)...But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60...even in politics — BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi...That allows the new generation to rise,” he had said.

Leaders with Ajit Pawar have also sought the party name and symbol and said there is no split in the party as more than 40 members of legislative assembly support them.

On July 2, NCP supremo Mr Pawar had said, “This situation may be new for some but not for me. My aim will be to repeat the scenario of 1980. In 1980, except for six of my 58 MLAs in my party, all had deserted me. I became the leader of just five MLAs and started touring Maharashtra with the objective of rebuilding my party from scratch. In the next elections, of those who had left me, all were defeated barring three or four... I have full faith in Maharashtra’s public and its youth and I will be touring the State again,” he had said