"Opposed Sonia Gandhi In 1999": Ajit Pawar Jabs Uncle For Congress Alliance
NDTV
Ajit Pawar asked why he was being criticised for joining hands with the BJP when his uncle had allied with the Shiv Sena two years ago.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar questioned his uncle Sharad Pawar's decision to ally with the Congress within a few months after raising the issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins.
Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against Pawar senior last year and split the Nationalist Congress Party, asked why he was being criticised for joining hands with the BJP when his uncle had allied with the Shiv Sena two years ago.
"In 1999, a school of thought emerged (within Congress) that a foreign-origin person should not be India's Prime Minister. Senior leaders like Pawar sahab (Sharad Pawar), PA Sangma, and Tariq Anwar took this stand. We were young, and we also supported that stand. In June 1999, the NCP was formed (after Sharad Pawar was expelled from the Congress), and in October 1999, we joined Vilasrao Deshmukh's government in the state," he said.
