Pawars lock horns for party dominance

Tensions ran high on Wednesday as rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party convened separate meetings to show their strength, escalating the battle between Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar to control the 24-year-old political outfit.

Tensions ran high on Wednesday as rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party convened separate meetings to show their strength, escalating the battle between Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar to control the 24-year-old political outfit. Sources in both factions told The Hindu that 32 out of the NCP’s 53 MLAs attended the meeting convened by Mr. Ajit Pawar in Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, while 18 MLAs turned up to support his uncle.

Attacking each other in a volley of sharp words, Mr. Sharad Pawar accused his nephew of being hungry for power and warned that the BJP would destroy his faction, while Mr. Ajit Pawar accused his 83-year-old uncle of stubbornness and suggested that he quit active politics.

The veteran politician criticised his nephew for joining the BJP, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the NCP a corrupt party. He warned Pawar Jr. that the saffron party would “destroy” their allies, and that his faction would also meet the same fate. Objecting to the rebel faction’s continued use of his photograph in their publicity materials, he said, “Those who are using my photo know they have nothing else.”

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Recollecting his connection with the masses when he founded the NCP in 1999 after quitting the Congress, Mr. Sharad Pawar said, “Although we are not in power, we are still connected with people, and we are in people’s hearts. We are not hungry for power and the party will continue to work for the people.” He added, “We have to march ahead, there are many hurdles before us.”

Admitting that he aspired to be Chief Minister one day and implement his own plans for the people’s welfare, Mr. Ajit Pawar said that he was being unjustly portrayed as a villain. “I became Deputy CM five times, which itself is a record. Even I want to become Chief Minister and head the State,” he said.

The 63-year-old, who led a vertical split in the NCP to become Deputy Chief Minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday unleashed a harsh attack on his uncle even as he insisted that Mr. Sharad Pawar was revered as the NCP’s deity.