Sharad Pawar out to finish Shiv Sena, succeeded with Uddhav Thackeray: Ramdas Kadam

Kadam said 'it was not proper' to break ties with the BJP

NCP chief Sharad Pawar is "out to finish the Shiv Sena," and what he could not do during Balasaheb Thackeray’s time, he succeeded with Uddhav Thackeray by misleading him, said veteran politician and former Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam.

According to him, had Balasaheb been alive, "this mess would not have happened".

A four-time MLA and two-time MLC, Kadam resigned as “leader” and was expelled by Uddhav on Monday - only to be made a “leader” again by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who had declared himself as “chief leader” of the new national executive.

In his interaction with TV channels, Kadam said he still wants the two factions to come together.

“How many people you are going to sack…you are sacking MLAs and MPs, senior leaders, office bearers…now you would sack corporators and councillors…where it is going to take Shiv Sena…at some point of time some introspection needs to be done,” he said.

Kadam, a former minister, said that when the Maha Vikas Aghadi was being formed in October-November, 2020, he himself had requested Uddhav not to have an alliance with the NCP and Congress.

“After this, Uddhav ji told me not to speak to media…and for over two-and-a-half years, I was keeping my mouth shut,” he said.

“Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar are all out to finish the Shiv Sena…what Pawar saheb could not do when Balasaheb was alive, he misled Uddhav ji and succeeded,” he said, adding that it was not proper to break ties with the BJP.

He said that the coterie around Uddhav too was responsible. Asked for the names, he said: “As I had told you…one of them is Anil Parab…rest I would reveal later, and when I reveal the names, there would be an earthquake.”

Asked whether a new beginning can be made, he said: “Yes…just leave Pawar…in fact, we have been telling it.” He said that when Thackeray announced that he would quit if any Shiv Sena rebels came to him and told him face to face, Pawar rushed to him and the doors for talks were shut.

Kadam also took objection to the language used by Aaditya Thackeray against the MLAs when they were in Guwahati.