Days after meeting Ajit Pawar, Uddhav praises Maharashtra deputy CM: ‘man who works in a proper framework’

Last week, Uddhav Thackeray met Ajit Pawar at his chamber in Vidhan Bhavan and is said to have told the deputy CM that important issues should not be overlooked amid the political upheaval in the state.

Written by Vallabh Ozarkar

Mumbai | Updated: August 2, 2023 05:32 PM IST

2 min read

uddhav thackeray, ajit pawar, maharashtra, indian express

Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray (left), Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (right). (Express Archives)

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Days, after he held a “courtesy meeting” with former ally and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray Wednesday, praised the NCP leader for his ability and efficiency.

Uddhav made the comments about Ajit Pawar, who was the finance minister in the MVA government, in an interview with Sanjay Raut, the Rajya Sabha MP and the executive editor of Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana. The first part of the interview was published in Saamana on Wednesday and aired on the party’s social media channels.

“Ajit Pawar was with us for two and a half years. During this period, he served as the deputy chief minister and also had the finance portfolio. Ajit Pawar is a man who works in a proper framework. He managed the administration and also the finance portfolio well,” Uddhav said.

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“I met him after he became the deputy chief minister in this government to see if he can do anything (good work), amid all this fraud (by the BJP). Anyways, elections can also be held anytime now,” he added.

Uddhav, referring to his meeting with the Maharashtra deputy CM last week, added that he told Pawar “not to forget the state and the people of the state” while pursuing power. This was the first meeting between the two leaders since Ajit Pawar engineered a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) before becoming the deputy CM in the Eknath Shinde government.

The Sena (UBT) president also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he had accused Pawar of the multi-crore irrigation scam days before his entry into the BJP-Shinde-led government in Maharashtra. “But now Ajit has been given the keys to the state’s treasury (finance portfolio). So are those allegations genuine or is Ajit Pawar genuine?” asked Uddhav.

Earlier this month, Ajit Pawar along with eight other NCP MLAs joined the Shinde government, virtually splitting the party founded by the veteran leader and his uncle Sharad Pawar.

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Ajit Pawar Uddhav Thackeray