Baramati, Oct 28 (IANS): NCP national president and Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday, during a rally, broke into tears while clearly expressing displeasure over the NCP-SP's move to nominate nephew Yugendra Pawar against him from the Baramati Assembly.
He hinted that the veteran politician and NCP-SP supremo Sharad Pawar should have intervened and stopped Yugendra from entering the electoral fray in Baramati against him.
"... his mother (Yugendra's mother) said not to file an application against uncle (Ajit Pawar) but elders (Sharad Pawar) should also have stopped him. However, they did not do so," claimed Ajit Pawar amid slogans raised by party workers who gathered in large numbers at the rally held before the filing of nomination papers.
"Our party has already decided that I will file the nomination for the Assembly from Baramati. What is going on in the constituency is not right. Elders (referring to Sharad Pawar) should have told him," he said.
Ajit Pawar broke into tears during his speech, and the drank water twice before resuming his address to the gathering.
"I was wrong in the Lok Sabha. I should not have fielded Sunetra (his wife) as a candidate against Supriya (his cousin). People voted for Supriya. It is generally said that Supriya for Lok Sabha and Ajit Dada for Vidhan Sabha. I was told to contest from Shirur but people from Baramati insisted that I should fight from Baramati. Therefore, I filed my nomination," said Ajit Pawar in a choked voice.
"We are those who can give our lives for others. In this context, I only want to say that no one should stoop to such a low level and play politics. It takes generations to maintain harmony in the house. But, it does not take time to break the house. I want to tell you all that we have to develop ourselves. Quarrels at home should be kept within four walls. There is no reason to bring it to the fore. Once the family is divided, no one else can come to unite it," he added.
Further, Ajit Pawar said that looking at the development of Baramati in the last 30-35 years, he feels happy about his contribution in the development work.
"I am satisfied to see today's advanced Baramati. In my political journey, I have always been working to take forward all the social groups in Maharashtra. But as a responsible representative of Baramati, I always made sincere efforts to ensure that Baramati gets all that is good in the world. I am striving to make Baramati the number one not only in the state but in the entire country in terms of development. I have a strong connection with the soil of Baramati since birth. I will continue to serve this soil till the last moment. Until the sapling of development planted in Baramati becomes a tree, my mind will not have peace," he added.
"In the last seven elections, I won by a higher margin because the people of Baramati voted in a big way for me. It was on that strength that I was able to be ready to serve the people of Baramati. After this year's elections, my aim is to give opportunities to the youth of Baramati in local bodies, parties and important positions. I will see to it that local children get employment opportunities in the industries located in Baramati," said Ajit Pawar.
He further stated that nearly 2.30 crore women have benefitted under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
"May the blessings of all be with me to continue this scheme along with other government welfare schemes for the next five years. People of Baramati will not miss anything, this is my word," he added.