Speaking at a session during the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2023, Sharad Pawar, the President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), categorically ruled out any possibility of his party forming an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra. He expressed confidence in the clarity of his party workers' understanding, stating, "I don't think my party workers are confused."
Pawar's statement came in response to earlier remarks by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had claimed during a separate session at the India Today Conclave that Sharad Pawar had expressed interest in forming a government with the BJP after Uddhav Thackeray's perceived betrayal following the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections.
Commenting on Ajit Pawar's involvement in the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, NCP's working president, Supriya Sule, emphasized the distinction between their professional and personal relationships. She expressed concern about the BJP's tactics of splitting parties, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's previous statement "na khanga, na khane dunga" (neither will I indulge in corruption nor will I allow it) and the allegations made against the NCP as a "naturally corrupt party." She challenged the PM to take action if the party was indeed corrupt.
Sharad Pawar also discussed the opposition's INDIA bloc and its strategy for the 2024 elections. He noted that there is no BJP government in the southern states of India. Pawar expressed confidence that if Assembly elections were held in Maharashtra today, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, would retain power.
Regarding the arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi excise policy case, Sharad Pawar characterized it as a "clear-cut vindictive action" against Singh and, indirectly, against Arvind Kejriwal.
Pawar asserted that the CBI and the ED are often used against political leaders who do not align with the current government's agenda. He predicted that this action by the ED would bring the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, both part of the INDIA bloc, closer together.
Sharad Pawar also mentioned discussing Delhi's electoral seats with Kejriwal and expressed his willingness to allocate three out of seven seats to AAP in a potential alliance.
Supriya Sule, an NCP leader and Sharad Pawar's daughter, commented on the BJP's stance on family-based politics, stating that they should practice what they preach and are also guilty of promoting dynastic politics.
In closing, Supriya Sule emphasized the importance of objective data in assessing her performance, suggesting that her evaluation should not be based on subjective opinions but on measurable achievements. She noted that her performance is not self-assessed but is recognized by others, citing the opinion of Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, as an example.
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