Sharad Pawar Denies Rift In MVA, Says CM Decision After Maharashtra Elections

NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar, on Wednesday, denied the rumours of rift within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance over the Chief Minister post and a final decision on the next CM will be made after the Maharashtra elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Kolhapur, Pawar expressed confidence that the MVA would secure a majority in the upcoming legislative assembly elections expected later this year.

"There is no contention over the Chief Minister's post within our alliance. We will address it after the elections and make a decision. While we haven't won the majority yet, I am certain we will. Once the elections conclude, we will gather, discuss, and decide on the face for the Chief Minister's post," ANI quoted Pawar as saying. He further mentioned that it is not uncommon for alliances to contest elections without announcing a Chief Ministerial candidate.

Pawar cited historical examples, such as the 1977 elections held after the Emergency, where no candidate was named for the Prime Minister's position beforehand, yet Morarji Desai was eventually chosen. "There is no need to decide on a Chief Ministerial candidate before the elections. After the elections, based on the people's mandate, we will collectively decide on the Chief Minister," he added.

Addressing the Badlapur incident and the subsequent protests, Pawar condemned the government's actions, saying, "Young girls were tortured in Badlapur, which is deeply disturbing. Thousands protested, and the government accused them of being outsiders. Cases were filed against many protesters, which has angered the public. It is unjust to impose cases on those who were merely protesting. This is not a political issue; those who were wrongfully booked should have their cases withdrawn."

On the collapse of the 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, Pawar criticized the decision to entrust the work to Jaydeep Apte, who lacked experience. He rejected the explanation that strong winds caused the statue's collapse, pointing out that similar statues in Mumbai's Gateway of India and Shivaji Park have withstood harsh weather conditions. "It was a mistake to assign such an important task to an inexperienced individual," Pawar remarked.

Pawar also responded to statements about Shivaji Maharaj's historical actions, particularly comments made by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who questioned whether Shivaji Maharaj looted Surat. Pawar urged against spreading misinformation about history and emphasized the importance of respecting historians' perspectives.

On the RSS's stance that a caste-based census should be used solely for the upliftment of marginalized communities rather than for political or electoral purposes, Pawar expressed support for the census. "We all demand a caste census, as it will create more opportunities for smaller communities. If the RSS supports it, there is nothing wrong with that," he concluded.