What Sharad Pawar’s tell-all book says: Check excerpts

Sharad Pawar, the supremo of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stepped down as the chief of the party after the release of his autobiography "Lok Majhe Saangaati."

In the book there has been a revelation about his nephew Ajit Pawar rebelling against him and taking oath as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, along with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis in 2019. He also held the Congress responsible for it.

He has detailed the developments post 2019, including the coalition of the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena, which is ideologically opposite. The coalition called the Maha Vikas Aghadi formed the government after the Maharashtra assembly elections were held in 2019.

Pawar in the book also shed light on Ajit Pawar in an overnight political coup backed the BJP in November 2019 and took oath as the Deputy CM without the consent of his party.

He said that he was shocked when he came to know about his nephew's decision and also his presence at Raj Bhavan. He went on to say that the BJP conspired in order to ensure that the Maha Vikas Aghadi did not form the government. He also said that he had called Uddhav Thackeray and clarified that he was not involved in this decision.

"I was shocked when I got a call on November 23 that Ajit and few NCP MLAs were at Rajbhavan and Ajit was taking oath with Fadnavis. When I made calls to a few MLAs, who were there, I got to know only 10 had reached there and one of them told me that it is happening because I have the support for this. But this was the plans of the Central BJP. I called Uddhav and told him what Ajit did was wrong and I and the NCP do not support that," Pawar also said in the book.

Pawar however went on to blame the Congress for Ajit Pawar's decision. He said that the reason for Ajit to take the decision was because the discussions with the Congress had not been so pleasant. Due to that behaviour there were plenty of issues.

"We had taken a very soft stance, but the response by the Congress was not all that welcoming. In one meeting, even I lost my cool and I was of the opinion that there is no point in discussing anything further. It was evident from Ajit's face that he was also upset with this attitude of the Congress. I left the meeting, but I asked my other colleagues to continue with the meeting. Later I called Jayant Patil to inquire about the meeting and he had told me that even Ajit had left the meeting immediately after I did," Pawar also said.

Ajit Pawar when asked about the book said that he had not read it as yet. "I do not know what he has said. Once I read it, I will react," Ajit also said.