Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday supported the PM Narendra Modi's 'ek hai to safe hai' slogan but opposed Yogi Adityanath's refrain 'batenge to katenge', terming it alien to Maharashtra's ideological heritage.
Speaking to PTI amidst campaigning for the state assembly elections set to take place on November 20, he also claimed that his nephew and now rival candidate Yugendra Pawar is not interested in politics. He does not even like to stay in Baramati. Supporting the campaign slogan 'ek hai to safe hai' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said India would be safe if it remained united.
"There is nothing wrong with that slogan, I do not see any problem here. If we remain together, all will prosper," he added.
But he criticized the refrain of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister that "divided we will get cut down".
"The comment 'batenge to katenge' is not valid. The mindset of people of UP, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh is different, but such statement has no significance here. Such words are useless in Maharashtra, believe me. Maharashtra is a state of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Shivaji Maharaj. People of Maharashtra are different, and they think differently. If someone takes a backseat from the ideologies of Shahu, Shivaji, Phule and Ambedkar, then Maharashtra won't spare them," said Ajit.
Ajit said, "My mother urged the senior Pawar to avoid a contest within the family." Discussing the issue concerning Yugendra Pawar, the son of his brother, being fielded by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP against him on the family turf of Baramati,.
"I made (wife) Sunetra Pawar contest against Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections. This has badly hurt (Sharad Pawar), that is why they made Yugendra Pawar contest against me," the NCP chief said.
"Yugendra has no interest in politics.he does not like to come to Baramati. He likes to stay abroad," Ajit Pawar said, adding "I don't know what happened to him."
Supriya Sule defeated his wife Sunetra in a high-octane battle in Baramati in Lok Sabha elections. "My mother told Pawar saheb there should not be a contest within the Pawar family, but they fielded a candidate. Sharad Pawar is a big leader. I don't want to speak about it. But despite messages from my mother, he took such a decision," the NCP chief added.
He is confident that he will retain the Baramati assembly seat. "People there know that several people were involved in developing Baramati, but I have put in most efforts and Baramati knows that," said Ajit.
On a recent report regarding the influx of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants in Maharashtra, he said that was a "very serious observation" and that all the senior leaders must sit together and take a decision on how to tackle the issue.
If the elections delivered a fractured mandate, will the NCP led by him return to the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi? He ruled out the possibility.
"No, I am not thinking of it now, because my aim is to win 175 seats for Mahayuti (ruling alliance of the NCP, BJP and Shiv Sena)," he said.
The Maratha factor will play a vital role in the state elections, he said, conceding that many people listen to Manoj Jarange who is agitating for reservation for the Maratha community, and its effect was seen in the Lok Sabha elections.
Regarding the credit for the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' for women, which the ruling alliance is hoping will be a gamechanger in the elections, Ajit Pawar said it was a government scheme and will benefit all the Mahayuti partners.
A few weeks back, Shiv Sena minister Tanaji Sawant had remarked he used to feel like throwing up when he sat next to Ajit Pawar during the cabinet meetings. He reacted by saying, "It was the wrong statement, and I will speak with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over it."
Defending party colleague Nawab Malik, who is being probed by the ED, councillor Ajit said none of the allegations against him have been proved in the court.
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