Sharad Pawar hits back at NCP leaders defecting to BJP

Mumbai: For the first time since the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) began facing a series of defections to the saffron camp, party supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday hit back at the turncoats. Mr Pawar lamented that leaders are joining the ruling party’s government despite rising unemployment and farmer suicides.

Speaking at an event in Navi Mumbai, Mr Pawar said, “Constituency work can be done more efficiently when one is in opposition. Inflation and unemployment have risen. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has failed to tackle these issues. Moreover, the number of farmers committing suicide has increased. So, what is the use of joining such party,” said Mr Pawar.

“I thought some leaders will not go on the wrong path but they have. People will take revenge on such leaders,” Mr Pawar added.

While narrating his own political journey, Mr Pawar said that he had never faced any problem because he used to continue working for his constituency even while being in the
Opposition.

It is to be noted that Mr Pawar was a major Opposition figure in state politics in the 1980s, until he rejoined the Congress in 1987.  

Slamming chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mr Pawar said that he is busy organising the Maha Janadesh Yatra even as many farmers and businesses have suffered losses due to the floods in Kolhapur and Sangli.

“The chief minister has nothing to say on economic development. He is only attacking the Opposition. Tell us what you did since last five years?” said Mr Pawar.

After a disastrous 2019 Lok Sabha election, several top leaders — many from western Maharashtra, Konkan and Marathwada — left the Pawar-led NCP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Among them were Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik, Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, state women’s wing president Chitra Wagh, former state minister Madhukar Pichad and his son Vaibhav.