No room for Sharad Pawar in NDA fold, says Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai, March 31: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said there is no room for NCP chief Sharad Pawar in the NDA fold and he is confident that even after elections the alliance would not require his support.

"Myself, Gopinath Munde, Ramdas Athavale and Raju Shetty opposed Pawar's entry in the NDA and hence his dream of joining the NDA broke even before elections," he said in second part of his interview to party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"I don't think after elections, we will require outside support and surely not of Pawar's NCP. Even if needed, it's not possible," the Sena leader said.

Those from the NDA praising Pawar should first visit families of farmers who have committed suicide, he said and also criticised the Congress-NCP government for failing to help farmers affected by drought and unseasonal hailstorm.

To a question on Shiv Sena's stand, if support of NCP is required after elections, Uddhav said, "This situation has not arisen and it's not possible too. Pawar is also part of the severe anti-incumbency against the UPA. I feel his candidates will not get elected. Besides, we will not require support of one or two MPs of his party as that would be betrayal of the voters."

Targeting Pawar for his controversial ink remarks, Uddhav said, "The NCP president said he made those remarks in a lighter vein. Imagine, if such remarks are made in lighter vein, what can they do seriously. The victory of Congress-NCP all these years despite widespread resentment was because of this bogusness."

He also said that Shiv Sena's alliance with BJP was strong and the additional allies in the state represent different sections of the society.

"Athavale represents the Dalits, Shetty represents farmers, Mahadev Jankar has strong backing of the Dhangar community, Vinayak Mete comes with Maratha community support," he said.
The state-level alliance is not restricted to just elections but is part of the Sena-BJP efforts to expand its base in Maharashtra, he said.

Sena's strength has not reduced and rather people of the state see the party as the only ray of hope, he asserted.

PTI