'I want to become CM': Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar at mega show-of-strength meet against Sharad Pawar

At the first big meeting of the party leaders after joining the NDA, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday made it clear that he wants to become the chief minister to implement certain plans he has for people's welfare. He, however, did not elaborate on any timeline. Pawar, who joined the politics in 1982, has served as the deputy chief minister five times.

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Speaking at the meeting of his faction of NCP leaders in Mumbai, Ajit Pawar said: "In the 2004 Vidhan Sabha election, NCP had more MLAs than Congress. Had we not given Chief Minister post to Congress at that time, till date, Maharashtra would have had a Chief Minister only from the Nationalist Congress Party."

Pawar's remarks may upset some of the Shinde-faction leaders, who are already apprehensive about their power equation in the alliance after the entry of NCP. India Today on Tuesday reported that some Shinde-led Sena MLAs did not want Chief Miniter Eknath Shinde to allocate the finance ministry to Pawar.

Today, Ajit Pawar called a meeting of the leaders of his faction in Mumbai. Speaking there, he asked his uncle and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to take some rest from his political career. "You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)...But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60...even in politics - BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. That allows the new generation to rise...The other day, he went to the YB Chavan memorial...I have also been there...but you are 83, aren't you going to stop? Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life."

Ajit also made some claims about the party's earlier attempt to form a government and alliance with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena. The NCP leader said in 2017, Sharad Pawar didn't want to form the government with Shiv Sena. He said in 2017, the NCP had attempted to join hands with the BJP, but the saffron party refused to ditch Shiv Sena. "In 2017, we were told by Sahard Pawar to hold discussions with Devendra Fadanvis, Chandrakant Patil to finalise portfolio sharing. Me, Sunil Tatkare, and Jayant Patil were present. In Delhi, Pawar saheb met the BJP high command. The BJP told him that they wouldn't ditch Shiv Sena and asked to form a three-party government. Pawar saheb did not agree and said 'We won't form a government with Shiv Sena'," Ajit Pawar said.

Ajit Pawar further said that the NCP leaders had also held a meeting at Varsha Bungalow. "On the orders of the party's senior leaders, Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patel, I and several others had gone there. Several leaders from BJP were also there. There were discussions among us over cabinet portfolio allocation and positions of Guardian Ministers. But later our party took a step back," he said.

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