Why Sharad Pawar not contesting LS polls, asks Gopinath Munde

Beed (Maha), Feb 2: Senior

leader

today sought to know why Union Agriculture Minister

decided not to contest the

polls this time, when the UPA was facing difficult times.

"Pawar took a decision to contest the Rajya Sabha polls instead of working with Congress when the UPA is in difficult situation," Munde told reporters at a press conference here today. "When Rahul Gandhi has taken up a bigger role in Congress, Pawar should remain part of UPA and work with party president Sonia Gandhi. However, he has gone to Rajya Sabha. The NCP leader should explain why he has taken this decision," the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

Munde questioned Pawar's decision not to stand by the UPA at a time of crisis

"We have prepared a charge-sheet called the 'Dark Decade of UPA', in which we have listed UPA's performance in last ten years. Inflation, corruption are the main issue we have mentioned in the charge-sheet," he said. Munde also targeted Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for declaring load-shedding free Maharashtra earlier.

"Why did Pawar make false claims when load-shedding still exists in Beed and some other parts of Maharashtra," he said. The BJP leader announced that RPI will be made a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

On February 16, a rally of "mahayuti" (mega alliance of Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI) has been organised in Beed. Shiv-Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, MP Ramdas Athawale, MLA Raju Shetti, BJP Maharashtra unit chief Devendra Fadanvis will be present.

PTI