Sharad Pawar rules out contesting 2022 Presidential elections or becoming PM face in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Prashant Kishor had met Pawar twice in the recent past in his Mumbai and New Delhi home

NCP President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday ruled out contesting 2022 Presidential elections or assuming a leadership role in 2024 Lok Sabha polls – speculation that triggered after poll strategist Prashant Kishor met the Gandhis and Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut projecting him as a binding factor for opposition unity.

“It is absolutely false that I will be a candidate for the Presidential election (in 2022). I know what will be the result, given the party that has more than 300 MPs. I will not be a candidate for the Presidential election,” Pawar was quoted saying by a TV media.

"Nothing has been decided so far, be it the 2024 general elections or state elections. The election is far away, and the political situation keeps changing. I am not going to assume any leadership in the 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections,” he said.

Read more: Forming consensus on face to take on BJP in 2024 polls a big task: Sanjay Raut

“Prashant Kishor met me twice, but we only talked about a company of his. No discussion was held regarding the leadership for the 2024 elections or the Presidential election. Prashant Kishor told me that he has left the field of formulating poll strategies,” he said.

The 80-year-old, who has been in electoral politics for over half a century, has been Maharashtra Chief Minister four times, a union minister handling portfolios of Defence and Agriculture for three times and an ex-Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.

Kishor had met Pawar twice in the recent past in his Mumbai and New Delhi home.

The speculation gathered steam after Kishor met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – a development that is being seen as important to build up Opposition unity and counter the BJP.

NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik too refuted the suggestions. “No discussion has been done within the party till now regarding the Presidential poll. If someone's circulating this news, then I'd like to clarify that it's not true,” said Malik, a close aide of Pawar, who is the Minority Affairs Minister in Maharashtra.

In a related development, Raut had told a channel: “It is a huge task to bring all the Opposition parties together and form a consensus on a face to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections. Every opposition party equates itself with a king and tries to dictate terms…Sharad Pawar has been a national leader for a long time. Some people think of Mamata Bannerjee after her spectacular performance in recent West Bengal polls. In such a scenario, if Prashant Kishor can do some magic, I will be happy.”