Outsiders criticising govt over Arvind Kejriwal's arrest: Sharad Pawar

The NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar claimed on Friday that the media across the world has taken note of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals arrest reported the PTIIt is not good that outsiders are criticising the government But such a situation was created by the government itself he said in a press conference in Satara district of Maharashtra as per the PTIThe Enforcement Directorate ED had on March 21 arrested Kejriwal in the alleged Delhi excise policylinked scam He has been remanded in EDs custody till April 1What is Arvind Kejriwals crime He framed a liquor policy something that is done by all states Delhi is the countrys capital and its chief minister is arrested said the 83yearold NCP founder the news agency reported on FridaySharad Pawar said that a tribal chief minister from Jharkhand has been in jail for the past three months referring to the arrest of Hemant Soren in a money laundering caseJust because he Kejriwal framed a liquor policy a chief minister has been arrested and two of his ministers are already in jail If this is not dictatorship then what is it We have to fight against it he said as per the PTISharad Pawar said that all opposition parties will hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on March 31 against Arvind Kejriwals arrestThe US on Wednesday said it follows these actions closely including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and stressed that it encourages fair transparent timely legal processes and we dont think anyone should object to that India has termed the remarks unwarrantedOn March 23 India had summoned the German deputy chief of mission in Delhi and lodged a strong protest against that countrys foreign ministrys remarks on the arrest of the Delhi chief ministerSharad Pawar said the sitting Satara MP Shrinivas Patil wont contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 due to health reasonsIn the 2019 general elections Udayanraje Bhosale a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj won in Satara on an NCP ticket but later switched over to the BJP necessitating a bypoll Bhosale had also won the seat in 2009 and 2014 as an NCP nomineeIn that bypoll Sharad Pawar who then headed the undivided NCP fielded Patil and rallied behind him to ensure his victorySharad Pawar said on Friday that Patils replacement would be finalised in a day or twoShashikant Shinde Balasaheb Patil and Sunil Manes names are being considered he saidTo a question whether former Maharashtra chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan would be a candidate for the constituency Pawar said Satara is an NCP seat and will remain with his partyReplying to a query on the Madha seat in Solapur district of Maharashtra Sharad Pawar said that he wanted a candidate from the Dhangar shepherd community and had spoken to its member and Rashtriya Samaj Party chief Mahadev JankarHe too responded but dont know what happened Sharad Pawar said referring to Mahadev Jankar stating that he would remain with the BJPled Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra The two leaders had met a few days ago the PTI reported on FridayAsked about the meeting of the opposition bloc MVA Maha Vikas Aghadi in Mumbai on Thursday Sharad Pawar said that the alliesNCP SP Congress and Shiv Sena UBT discussed programmes and strategies for their campaign ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024A small committee headed by Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has been set up to work on a common minimum programme he said the news agency reportedSharad Pawar said he still feels that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi led by Prakash Ambedkar should be a part of the MVAElections to Maharashtras 48 Lok Sabha seats will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20with PTI inputs