Sharad Pawar hits back at Saamana, says those he groomed are shining bright; ridicules Prithviraj Chavan

On Monday, Saamana Executive Editor Sanjay Raut had said that the Saamana editorial had expressed its point of view.

Written by: Manoj Dattatrye More

3 min readPuneUpdated: May 10, 2023 02:08 AM IST

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar addressing media. (PTI, file)

Listen to this article

Sharad Pawar hits back at Saamana, says those he groomed are shining bright; ridicules Prithviraj Chavan

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece, Saamana, said Sharad Pawar had failed to groom a successor who could take his party forward, the NCP chief hit back Tuesday, saying he does not care what others write about him and those he groomed have already proved their mettle.

Reacting to Monday’s editorial in Saamana, Pawar told reporters in Satara, “We don’t attach importance to what people write as to whether we have groomed a successor or not. They will write. It is their right to do so. We ignore it. We know what we are doing. We get satisfaction out of that”.

“Our party colleagues present their own views, but we don’t make those views public. It is an issue which belongs to our family. Every colleague of ours knows how our party will move forward. Our colleagues are confident about how we create new leadership,” he added.

Citing the example of how he created a new line of leadership after the NCP’s formation in 1999, Pawar said, “When we came to power along with the Congress in 1999, we wanted to form the ministry. Among those whom we included in the ministry were Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, R R Patil, Dilip Walse-Patil, Anil Deshmukh…Like these, there were several names who were experiencing the seat of power for the first time…Those who were included were appointed as Cabinet ministers. Maharashtra has seen that each one of them has proved his mettle. And that’s why if people write whether we have groomed a successor or not, we do not attach importance to it.”

On Monday, Saamana Executive Editor Sanjay Raut had told The Indian Express the editorial had expressed its point of view. “There was no criticism of the NCP chief in the editorial. It is just a point of view,” said Raut.

Pawar also did not spare senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan who had expressed doubts about the behaviour of the NCP and its perceived dalliance with the BJP. “Where does Prithviraj Chavan stand in Congress?” he asked.

The NCP chief was responding to the criticism made by Chavan while he was campaigning for Congress candidates ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections. “My colleagues will tell you in private about Prithviraj Chavan,” Pawar added.

Story continues below this ad

While campaigning in Nipani, Chavan had said they keep reading in newspapers and watch on television about the NCP and the BJP.

Remarking on his offer to step down as NCP president, Pawar said, “I took back my resignation after several people requested me to do so. In a democracy, you cannot ignore people’s will after a limit. After I took back my resignation, the party cadre is itching to double up their efforts. It will benefit the party”.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Taboola...