Ajit Pawar drops another bomb!

NCP leader Ajit Pawar has said that he wishes to discontinue as the Opposition leader in the Assembly to work for the party organisation The statement is expected to create another phase of internal power struggle in the NCP even as dust hasnrsquot settled yet on the controversy that had come to fore after the restructuring of the national setupThe Opposition leader was speaking at the partys 24th foundation day function in Mumbai on Wednesday about a fortnight after the party appointed his cousin Supriya Sule and Praful Patel as the national working presidents The appointments had triggered talks that Ajit had been given short shrift by the national president his uncle Sharad PawarldquoI have worked for so many years in many positions I was not interested in becoming the Opposition leader but since the MLAs wanted me and signed for me the seniors approved my name I have worked in the capacity for a year As I have been working in that position some say that I donrsquot go hard on the government I say should I have held them the rulers by their throatsrdquo he saidNCP acting president Praful Patel with Ajit Pawar Sunil Tatkare and Sharad Pawar at Shanmukhananda Auditorium on Wednesday PicAshish RajeldquoSo now I say enough is enough Relieve me from the Opposition leaderrsquos post and give me some responsibility in the party organisation and then see how the party functions That said I understand that it is the authority of the party leaders But I have expressed my wish because others too express their wish I have shouldered the responsibility given to me Give me a position in the organisation and I will do justice to that positionrdquo he saidAjit Pawar came down heavily on the verbose in the party who he said should understand that only making speeches would not make the party number one ldquoMany people become ministers and win elections but they cannot help others win Those who speak should also work for the partyrdquoHe said when the party was founded with him and others they were 35 or 40 ldquoWe were called juniors then Later many joined and left us It is said that a new generation comes every 25 years Recently it was also said the changes will be maderdquoAjit Pawar slammed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for splurging taxpayersrsquo money on events like yoga ldquoWhen I speak the CM says I speak a lot against him I say that you only rub your beard What can I dordquo he saidPawar mum on AjitNational president Sharad Pawar who spoke later did not take up Ajitrsquos demand He commented on the current political affairs and accused the government of failure on many grounds especially in the agriculture sectorldquoThe farmers are upset because they donrsquot get a good price for their produce In the past five months 391 distressed farmers have committed suicide Ajit Pawar and others have told you how this government has been functioningrdquo he said adding that communal riots were on the riseldquoCommunal tensions are built up where the ruling is weak Itrsquos a conspiracy to reap political benefits The law and order is very important for any state Between January and May this year 3152 girls and women have gone missing We have to ensure that such parties donrsquot come to power againrdquo he addedRejected BJP offer in rsquo99Working president Patel recalled how Pawar senior had rejected former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayeersquos offer to join the BJP NDA in 1999 in the state and the Centre ldquoWe had 58 MLAs and 9 MPs then After meeting Vajpayee saheb told me in the car that the offer was good but he wouldnrsquot take it Instead he said he would form the government with the Congress despite having had a fight with it the NCP was formed that year after breaking away from the Congressrdquo he saidAnother working president Supriya Sule also launched a frontal attack on the BJPState president JayantPatil said he has been working for five years and a month in the position ldquoI request the party leaders to give some time for the organisationrdquo he said