Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on joining NDA: This is not a compulsion or compromise

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar/ Pic/X

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday, said that he joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) due to its focus on development. In a conversation with ANI, Pawar said that his decision was driven by compulsion or compromise but by a "genuine commitment to development".

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also praised Prime Minister Modi for his efforts in developing the country, highlighting the comparison made by him between the achievements of his government in one year and those of the previous decade under Manmohan Singh's leadership.

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Pawar also commended PM Modi's dedication to uplifting the poor, noting the absence of allegations against him over the past decade, the news agency stated.

"This is not a compulsion or compromise. I always think about development. Who is developing the country today? It is PM Modi. I have worked against him in 2014 and 2019 but if you see today, PM Modi also said yesterday that we have done the same amount of work in one year as was done in the 10 years of Manmohan Singh. He also worked for the upliftment of the poor people...In the last 10 years, no one has made even a single allegation against PM Modi," Deputy CM Ajit Pawar told ANI.

Regarding the formation of the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, Pawar stressed that the decision was made collectively, with development as the central objective. He reiterated that every member of the alliance is dedicated to advancing the state's development agenda, the report added.

"Everyone has taken this decision together and it was taken not to make themselves ministers but for development. I am saying again and again that everyone has taken this decision for development..."

He also spoke about the Prime Minister candidate of oppositions INDIA bloc and said that over 65 per cent of the public across India said that they want PM Modi to be the PM. "Everyone was taking the name of Nitish Kumar in 2019. But Nitish Kumar is now with PM Modi. Right now no such name is there. You cannot compare Rahul Gandhi with PM Modi," he said.

Further speaking about Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar told the news agency, "People are responding well and PM Modi is telling everyone why they should vote for us (NDA). The atmosphere is good; people have decided to make PM Modi the PM for the third time."

He also spoke about his uncle Sharad Pawar during the conversation with ANI. He said, "In 2014, we were against the BJP but we supported the BJP from outside that you should form the government. We had asked about this, after which he (Sharad Pawar) said that this is a strategy to keep Shiv Sena away… In 2017, once again an attempt was made to go with BJP but BJP's people said that we both (Shiv Sena and BJP) have been working together for many years, we will not leave anyone. If you (NCP) want to come then come. He (Sharad Pawar) said Shiv Sena does not work well for us and you should remove Shiv Sena from the government then we will come with you. They said we would not remove them and then came the elections of 2019, then also we supported BJP from outside. We were told that after a few days of outside support, we would have to go with the BJP but it did not happen… Then he (Sharad Pawar) said that we would have to go with Congress and Shiv Sena, I asked him, you had said that we would not go with Shiv Sena and now how will we form the government with them? He said all these things happen in the politics."