'We don't take along opportunists': Sharad Pawar rules out joining hands with NCP

Mumbai: Putting an end to rumours about a possible merger or alliance between NCP and NCP (SP) ahead of Maharashtra local body elections, veteran politician and the founder of the 26-year-old party Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said that he does not take along "opportunists" - a jibe aimed at his nephew Ajit Pawar.

“We do not want to take with us opportunists who went with the BJP for power. We will take with us those who share the thoughts of Gandhi, Nehru, Phule, Shahu, Ambedkar,” said Sharad Pawar, a former four-time Maharashtra Chief Minister and former Defence Minister, while addressing a rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune.

Reacting to the statement of Sharad Pawar, his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who now commands the NCP, said: “Everyone has the right to present his or her view.”

The statements of the Pawar uncle-nephew duo come days after the June 10 parallel 26th foundation day festivities of the party, in which both stayed away from touching the subject of merger or coming along.

"However, if someone is going with the BJP for power, then it is not the ideology of Congress. One may align with anyone but siding with BJP cannot be in sync with the Congress ideology," said Pawar, one of the driving forces behind the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc.

The NCP (SP) president urged his supporters not to worry about those who left the party and asked them to gear up for the upcoming local body elections. "I have seen such developments on several occasions in my career," he added.

At the foundation day meeting, Sharad Pawar had said: “A split occurred in the party. We never thought that a split would take place in the party, but it happened. Some people went with other ideologies, and this split widened…those who remained loyal to the party, it was because of our party's ideology.”

However, Ajit Pawar responded saying: “Couple of years ago, we had to make a decision…we are not sadhu-sant being in politics…we wanted to ensure that people’s issues were addressed.”

In May, Pawar, in an interview to a newspaper had said: “There are two views in the party. One is that we reunite with the NCP led by Ajit Pawar. The second is that we don’t go directly or indirectly with the BJP. Let’s join the I.N.D.I.A. group and reorganise the alliance.” This has led to reports of a possible merger.