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  Metros   Mumbai  12 Nov 2018  NCP signals about vying for Pune Lok Sabha

NCP signals about vying for Pune Lok Sabha

THE ASIAN AGE.
Published : Nov 12, 2018, 12:35 am IST
Updated : Nov 12, 2018, 12:35 am IST

The interview is being interpreted as Mr Pawar gauging mood of the city and the Lok Sabha (LS) seat ahead of elections.

Sharad Pawar
 Sharad Pawar

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has dropped first hint that his party will contest Pune Lok Sabha constituency and former governor Shrinivas Patil likely to be its candidate.

Though Mr Pawar did not make any direct comment, he implied that the city has not given back to the outsiders in the proportion in which the outsiders have contributed for its development. He was interviewed on Sunday in Pune along with Mr Patil.

“Narahar Ganpat Pawar, an architect built college such as Sir Parashurambhau and many other buildings in Pune. But what did Pune do for him? Even famous poet G.D. Madgulkar was from Pune, but he too was not honored in this city and hence I built a theater in Baramati on his name,” said Mr Pawar during the interview. But at the same time, he also said that the city had given him the first political standing during his college days.

“It has been 52 years for me in active politics. I used to contest college elections on Pawar panels. This city has built up my base in the organisation and am doing it since then,” said Mr Pawar.

This interview is being interpreted as Mr Pawar gauging mood of the city and the Lok Sabha (LS) seat ahead of elections. NCP has asked for this LS seat from Congress, which was previously contested by Congress in alliance since 2004.

Shrinivas Patil was former governor of Sikkim. He was also an MP of NCP from Karad, Satara LS constituency in 1999 and 2004. He also served as an IAS officer in Maharashtra. Known as close friend of Mr Pawar, Mr Patil is one of the moderate faces of the party. So, there is buzz that Mr Pawar might field him in Pune seat if Congress leaves it for NCP.

Tags: sharad pawar, shrinivas patil