Ajit Pawar pays tribute to Hindutva icon Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, deletes tweet

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday paid tribute to Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his birth anniversary, but later deleted the tweet on the late leader.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also paid tribute to Upadhyay, a Hindutva icon and a revered figure for the BJP, his former ally.

The BJS was the predecessor of the BJP.

Taking to Twitter, Pawar, a senior NCP leader, wrote, "Tributes to the founder of JanaSanghand senior leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his birth anniversary."

However, the tweet by Pawar, who had briefly joined hands with the BJP before the MVA government was formed in November last year,was later deleted.

Asked about his deleted tweet, Pawar said, "We speak good about people who are no more and that is why I had tweeted. But in politics, we have to listen to our seniors."

The NCP leader, however, did not elaborate.

Thackeray, who is also the Shiv Sena president, offered floral tribute to Upadhyay at his private residence 'Matoshree' in suburban suburban.