Pawar was, is, will remain my leader: Datta Meghe

Wardha, Jan 26 (UNI) Seeking to put to rest speculation that he was quitting the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rajya Sabha member and the party's former treasurer Datta Meghe said the party president Sharad Pawar ''was, is and will remain'' his leader.

Speaking to a group of newspersons here yesterday, Mr Meghe said reports of his possible exit from the NCP had appeared in a section of the media. ''However, I am with Mr Pawar,'' he said.

Asked about the plans of his son Sagar Meghe, who is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, the senior Mr Meghe quipped, ''Sagar's statement has already appeared in newspapers. He has said that he will do what his father tells him to do.'' Earlier, addressing a farmers' agitation in Wardha, Mr Meghe asserted that his leader was Mr Pawar.

''However, I will speak out my mind if I think a policy is wrong. No matter if the party expels me for that. I have already told them to expel me if they want to,'' he added.

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