A well-planned announcement with family members in the loop

“If the speech was translated into English, it clearly means that it was pre-planned. One cannot produce the translation immediately,” a senior NCP leader said.

Pawar’s wife Pratibha sat beside him throughout after the NCP chief’s announcement. NCP leader Ajit Pawar said that she has informed him that Sharad Pawar will not change his decision.

“The announcement was to happen on May 1. But since the Vajtramuth rally of the MVA was planned on that day, it was decided that the announcement will be made today,” Ajit said. But he later claimed that even he was unaware about Pawar’s plan of announcing resignation.

According to sources, the event was originally planned on May 1 but on insistence of party MLAs who said that they have to attend the flag-hoisting ceremony at their respective constituencies, the event was rescheduled to May 2. “It was to ensure attendance of maximum number of senior leaders to the programme,” the leader emphasised.

Pawar’s daughter and Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, the organiser of the programme, chose not to interact with the media after the announcement. At one point, when workers demanded her to speak and ask her father to withdraw the resignation, Ajit Pawar asked her to not speak. “As an elder brother of yours, I am asking you to not make any comment right now,” he said.

Incidentally, MLA Sanjay Shirsat from Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde told the media on Monday before the Mumbai rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, “Wait for four days, you will come to know what is going in Ajit Pawar’s mind.”

Shirsat also said Ajit Pawar is taking his time to avoid a repeat of the past mistake. “Ajit Pawar is always known for taking firm decisions,” Shirsat said.

On MVA’s Monday rally, BJP spokesperson and MLA Nitesh Rane said, “Wait and see whether the MVA remains together or not…”