Latest news with #26thFoundationDay
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
We Are No Saints To Sit in Opposition, Says Ajit Pawar On Joining Hands With BJP
The party did not form an alliance with the BJP at the cost of ideology, Ajit Pawar claimed. Justifying his decision to join hands with the BJP, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said he and his colleagues were not 'saints" who could remain in the opposition and be content with protesting and shouting slogans. Speaking at an event here to mark the 26th Foundation Day of the undivided NCP, Ajit, currently Maharashtra deputy chief minister, made no definitive statement about the possibility of reuniting with his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar's faction. 'The NCP was founded on the ideologies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. Some people question our decision to join hands with the BJP and the Mahayuti coalition," said Ajit, who parted ways with his uncle in 2023. 'But didn't we align with the Shiv Sena in 2019? Even then, compromises were made. Just sitting in the opposition, raising slogans and taking out protest marches is not enough. We are not saints. We are here to give a direction, address people's issues, and practice the politics of inclusion," he said. The party did not form an alliance with the BJP at the cost of ideology, Ajit Pawar claimed. 'When we decided to join the NDA and Mahayuti in Maharashtra, we saw that leaders like Chandrababu Naidu, known for secular ideology, had also aligned with the NDA. In the past, leaders such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were also part of the NDA. Our focus is development….We want the schemes of the Centre and state government to reach the last man in society, to improve the people's standard of living and ensure that no section of society feels excluded," he said. On speculation surrounding a possible merger of the two NCP factions, Pawar said party workers may hold differing opinions, but the final decision rests with the leadership. 'It is the party leaders who deliberate and decide on such matters," he added. A systematic campaign was underway to spread misinformation about fund distribution by his ministry, said Pawar who holds the finance portfolio in the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government. 'Compared to the previous budget, we have increased allocations for Scheduled Tribes," he said, referring to a row over alleged diversion of funds from the ST department for the Ladki Bahin scheme for women. He also refuted rumours that the Ladki Bahin scheme, under which eligible women receive Rs 1500 per month, was being discontinued.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pawar says India lacks strong ties with neighbours
Pune: Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), on Tuesday expressed concern over what he termed as the Union government's failure to maintain constructive relations with neighbouring countries. Addressing party workers in Pune during the NCP (SP)'s 26th Foundation Day, Pawar said the current foreign policy has not fostered an environment for effective regional diplomacy. 'During Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership, India had cordial ties with its neighbours,' Pawar noted, contrasting it with what he called a sharp decline in relations with countries such as Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. 'The map of India tells a story — to the north are Pakistan and China, to the east is Bangladesh, and to the south, Sri Lanka. How many of these countries can we claim to have positive and consistent engagement with today?' he asked. Referring to the aftermath of a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Pawar said his party had refrained from politicising the issue, instead choosing to stand behind the government on matters of national security. 'When civilians were killed in the Pahalgam incident, we did not criticise the Centre. We said we would support any firm response,' he said. Pawar said that India's diplomatic position, once respected in the neighbourhood, has weakened. He pointed out that while Bangladesh owes its creation to India's efforts, it now seems distant. 'Sri Lanka is increasingly leaning towards China, raising doubts about its strategic alignment with us,' he said. He concluded by saying that the current situation points to a failure of leadership in nurturing bilateral ties. 'India today cannot claim to have a meaningful dialogue with any of its immediate neighbours. This will come at a cost,' he warned. Pawar also emphasised that his party would not use these issues for political mileage but, along with the Congress and Left parties, would continue to work towards the country's overall progress. Supriya Sule, the party's working president, shared her experience from a recent delegation visit to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa. She said the leaders there spoke warmly of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi. 'Even as they acknowledge Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the legacy of past Indian leaders remains strong in their memory,' Sule said.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Slogans Not Enough. We Are Not Saints": Ajit Pawar On Joining BJP Alliance
Pune: Justifying his decision to join hands with the BJP, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said he and his colleagues were not "saints" who could remain in the opposition and be content with protesting and shouting slogans. Speaking at an event here to mark the 26th Foundation Day of the undivided NCP, Ajit Pawar, currently Maharashtra deputy chief minister, made no definitive statement about the possibility of reuniting with his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar's faction. "The NCP was founded on the ideologies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. Some people question our decision to join hands with the BJP and the Mahayuti coalition," said Ajit Pawar, who parted ways with his uncle in 2023. "But didn't we align with the Shiv Sena in 2019? Even then, compromises were made. Just sitting in the opposition, raising slogans and taking out protest marches is not enough. We are not saints. We are here to give a direction, address people's issues, and practice the politics of inclusion," he said. The party did not form an alliance with the BJP at the cost of ideology, Ajit Pawar claimed. "When we decided to join the NDA and Mahayuti in Maharashtra, we saw that leaders like Chandrababu Naidu, known for secular ideology, had also aligned with the NDA. In the past, leaders such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were also part of the NDA. Our focus is want the schemes of the Centre and state government to reach the last man in society, to improve the people's standard of living and ensure that no section of society feels excluded," he said. On speculation surrounding a possible merger of the two NCP factions, Ajit Pawar said party workers may hold differing opinions, but the final decision rests with the leadership. "It is the party leaders who deliberate and decide on such matters," he added. A systematic campaign was underway to spread misinformation about fund distribution by his ministry, said Pawar who holds the finance portfolio in the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government. "Compared to the previous budget, we have increased allocations for Scheduled Tribes," he said, referring to a row over alleged diversion of funds from the ST department for the Ladki Bahin scheme for women. He also refuted rumours that the Ladki Bahin scheme, under which eligible women receive Rs 1500 per month, was being discontinued.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
NCP Foundation Day celebrations brings traffic on Pune-Bengaluru highway to a standstill
Traffic on the Pune-Bengaluru highway came to a standstill on Tuesday as VIP vehicles moved in and out of the Balewadi stadium on the occassion of the NCP's 26th Foundation Day celebrations in Pune on Tuesday. Both factions of the NCP—one led by political stalwart and founder of the party Sharad Pawar and the other led by his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar—celebrated their Foundation Day in Pune on Tuesday. While the Ajit Pawar-led NCP celebrated the occasion at Balewadi Stadium, the Sharad Pawar faction held theirs at the Bal Gandharva auditorium on J M Road. Since morning, traffic from Ravet to Balewadi on the highway was thrown out of gear. The 11km stretch hardly saw any movement of vehicles and Tuesday being a working day compounded the traffic woes of the office goers. Siddharth Patil, a software professional who works in Baner, says he was stuck in traffic for more than 45 minutes. 'I stay in Pashan so Baner is just 10 minutes from my home. However, today the traffic was choc-a-bloc with vehicles making no movement. All the efforts of the traffic police seemed to be focused on the seamless movement of vehicles towards Balewadi stadium,' he said. A senior officer with the traffic branch of Pimpri Chinchwad police said because of the large number of VIPs and vehicles which came to the stadium, traffic snarl was reported between Ravet and Balwadi which was removed by 5.30 pm.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Supriya Sule sidesteps question on buzz over NCP factions reuniting
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) [NCP(SP)] working president Supriya Sule on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) avoided a direct response on the speculation about the rival NCP factions coming together, saying she was busy with other responsibilities and had no time to discuss the party affairs. Asked if she is remembering "dada" — her cousin and rival NCP head Ajit Pawar — on the Nationalist Congress Party's 26th Foundation Day on Tuesday (June 10, 2025), the Lok Sabha member told reporters that she has six brothers and she remembers them every day. To a query on whether she will call Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to wish him on the party's Foundation Day, Ms. Sule said, "I speak to all my brothers on different occasions." The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, split in July 2023 after nephew Mr. Ajit Pawar joined the then Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government. The party name and its clock symbol was given to the Ajit Pawar faction, while the one headed by the former Union Agriculture Minister was christened NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). There has been speculation that the two factions could be looking at burying the hatchet and reuniting. To a query on a section of the NCP(SP) having the same feeling and Mr. Sharad Pawar saying all decisions regarding the party will be taken by her, Ms. Sule said, 'I have had no time to discuss the party affairs with party leaders or meet my family for the last 15 days. Everyone has the right to express their views and opinions in a democracy,' she added. "NCP is an organisation founded by Sharad Pawar and is functional for 26 years. Everyone, whether they are with us or not, has contributed to the growth of the party. There was team work. I am remembering R. R. Patil, who is no more," she said. Ms. Sule recently led a multi-party delegation and travelled to some of the foreign countries to convey India's stand following Operation Sindoor. The Parliamentarian said she will be leaving in the afternoon for New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet members of multi-party delegations which travelled abroad.
