Kolhapur: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar Saturday expressed doubts over the state budget announcements alleging that the Maharashtra Finance Minister has only made tall talks with an eye on the state assembly elections later this year.
At a press conference here, the senior Pawar said that the Mahayuti government’s economic decisions coming on the heels of a severe setback in Lok Sabha elections in the state was taken with an eye to fare better in the Assembly polls.
Deputy Chief Minister who handles the finance portfolio, Ajit Pawar, announced many schemes on Friday for women and farmers, which his uncle and political guru the senior Pawar said: “were not meant in reality considering the huge debt the state carries on its head”.
Sharad Pawar said: “Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Congress, Shiv Sena(UBT) and NCP(SP) will contest coming state assembly election and present a collective face before the people.”
Responding to a query on whether MVA will contest the election with Uddhav Thackeray as the CM face, Pawar did not confirm.
Speaking on distribution of seats between the MVA constituents, Pawar said: “There has been no discussion yet. But we will take Left parties with us, considering their cooperation with the MVA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”
The INDIA bloc managed 31 out of total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The NCP broke up into splinter groups headed by senior and junior Pawar just months ahead of the polls, with Ajit Pawar’s NCP joining hands with the NDA.
The NCP-SP chief said the general elections in April to June have clearly shown “peoples mandate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees”.
He expressed confidence that the same trend will continue in the upcoming assembly elections as well and the MVA will get a majority.
Welcoming the selection of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Pawar said “His selection welcomes a new generation and he has proven his mettle in the recently concluded general elections.”
On Friday’s NEET ruckus in parliament, Sharad Pawar said the paper leak is a serious issue that can translate into dangerous consequences as it affects lakhs of students and their mental health. “The concerned union minister should take responsibility for the leak of NEET-UG 2024 exam papers.”
He said the INDIA front will continue to raise the misuse of CBI and ED against opposition leaders in the parliament.
Speaking about the PM-led NDA’s repeated mention of the 1975 Emergency in Parliament even after 50 years, Pawar said: “It was improper as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself had apologised for imposing the 19-month emergency.”
