Rohit Pawar skips party meet chaired by Sharad Pawar; dismisses rumours of discord

"The reports being aired on some sections of the media about me being upset are baseless," Rohit Pawar said.

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar's grandnephew Rohit Pawar triggered suspicions of discord within the party after he skipped a key meeting on Wednesday. Chaired by Sharad Pawar, the meeting's agenda was discussing India's political situation and formulating strategies to revive the party. MPs, MLAs and candidates in the 2024 assembly polls were the attendees of the meeting held at YB Chavan Centre.

While Rohit skipped the meeting to address an urgent water issue affecting farmers in his Karjat-Jamkhed constituency and Baramati, he dismissed the rumours of any discord with his granduncle.

"The reports being aired on some sections of the media about me being upset are baseless. We are workers functioning under the guidance of respected Pawar Saheb," he said.

He said the issue of water from the Janai-Shirsai project for farmers in the Kukadi region and in Baramati had become critical, forcing him to make an unplanned visit to the Irrigation Bhavan in Pune.

"Had there not been pressure on the administration and had they honoured their promise to release the water, I could have attended the pre-scheduled meeting in Mumbai today instead of coming to the Irrigation Bhavan in Pune," he said.

"One thing is certain - farmers and common people in the state are in great distress, and there is an unequivocal need to take a strong position and hit the streets to fight for them," he said.

Rohit further expressed confidence that the party and its senior leaders would take an appropriate decision on the issue.