‘Was it necessary to break the family for a post?’: Sharad Pawar hits out at Ajit Pawar

Sharad Pawar said he being the head of the Pawar family will never create a distance from any member of the family but will not support any wrongdoing.

4 min readBaramatiUpdated: Oct 29, 2024 05:59 PM IST

pune, baramati, ajit pawar, sharad Pawar

Ajit and Sharad Pawar. (File Photos)

A day after his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar accused him of creating a rift in the family, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar took a dig at him on Tuesday for parting ways to get the post of deputy chief minister despite he being given the same four times by NCP.

“Whenever we were brought to power in the state, we used to discuss who would be the deputy chief minister. Four times, the deputy chief minister (Ajit Pawar) was from Baramati and our party (NCP). The fifth time, with support of the BJP, he took the post,” said senior Pawar.

He added, “Five years ago, voters had elected him (Ajit Pawar) as an NCP candidate; then why did he take help from others (BJP) for it?” Sharad Pawar said as he appealed to the voters to elect NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar during the launch of the election campaign in Baramati.

Yugendra Pawar is the son of Shrinivas Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s brother, and has remained close to Sharad Pawar.

Yugendra is pitted against his uncle Ajit Pawar in Baramati which is witnessing tussle for supremacy within the Pawar family.

Responding specifically to the allegations raised by Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar said, “An early morning oath taking ceremony was conducted by those among us (Ajit Pawar). The post of deputy chief minister would have anyway been with us after four months. Was it necessary to break the family for a post? I don’t have the habit of creating a rift. I have always stood to keep the family together.”

Sharad Pawar said he being the head of the Pawar family will never create a distance from any member of the family but will not support any wrongdoing. “I have not been taught by my parents or elder brothers to create a rift in the family,” he said, stressing that the Pawar family had always stayed together with specific roles assigned to everyone.

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On Ajit Pawar getting emotional on Monday, the veteran leader while mimicking his nephew said, “They were saying I would shed tears and get emotional while seeking votes for Supriya Sule in Lok Sabha. The issue is not of emotions but of ideology and principles.”

Pawar said he never appeared in the court in the past but those who parted ways made him appear in court. “I was served summons as the main person in the court in the case on staking claim on NCP and its symbol by those who parted ways. I appeared after the summons by the Election Commission. In the case, both names (petitioner and respondent) were Pawar. This had never taken place in my life,” Sharad Pawar said.

Senior Pawar added that the UPA government under Manmohan Singh had approved the Airbus manufacturing factory in Nagpur but Prime Minister Narendra Modi forced it to shift to Gujarat and the same was done with the factory to manufacture semiconductors.

“Modi is the Prime Minister of the country not a state but he only thought of his state and not the country. It is because of that Maharashtra, which was on the top in the industrial sector for decades, had fallen to the fifth position in the country. Those who took away jobs from youths should not be supported in the Assembly elections.”

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He said the ruling Mahayuti alliance is anti-farmer as its decision had adverse impact on the earnings of the farmers.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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