Sharad Pawar hits back at age jibe: Not old, can still straighten some people

Nationalist Congress Party NCP President Sharad Pawar took a swipe at his age critics on Sunday saying that he had not grown old and still had the power to straighten some people out Pawar was speaking at a bullock cart race programme organised on the occasion of his birthday in Haveli taluka of Punes rural partAddressing the crowd Sharad Pawar said I have a complaint with you people You people often comment on my age that I am 84 years old I am 83 years old what have you people seen in me till now I have not become old I still have so much strength in me I can straighten some people outPawar also spoke about the bullock cart racing event saying that it could be included in the Olympics if planned decisions are taken This event is a competition of speed strength and determination If planned decisions are taken then I am confident that this event can be brought to par with many other sporting events in the world and you bullock cart racing organisers are doing other work as well he addedHis statement is seen as a clear rebuttal to his opponents who have often targeted him for his age and called for his retirement from politics Notably his nephew Ajit Pawar has made similar comments in the past Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took a jibe at Sharad Pawar on July 5 and said that IAS officers retire at 60 BJP leaders retire at 75 and you are 83 Are you not going to stopYou portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone I still have deep respect for him Sharad PawarBut you tell me IAS officers retire at 60even in politics BJP leaders retire at 75 You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar JoshiThat allows the new generation to rise said Ajit PawarYou Sharad Pawar give us your blessingsThe other day he went to YB Chavan memorialI have also been therebut you are 83 arent you going to stopGive us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life said the Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar while addressing party legislators and other workers in Bandra on July 5Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to Nationalist Congress Party NCP chief Sharad Pawar on his 83rd birthday on December 12 Taking to the social media platform X PM Narendra Modi said My best wishes to Shri Sharad Pawar Ji on his birthday May he be blessed with a long and healthy lifePawar founded the NCP in 1999 He became an MLA for the first time at the young age of 27 before becoming the youngest Chief Minister of the state at the age of 38 in 1978 The fourtime chief minister of Maharashtra has also served as Defence Minister He was Agriculture Minister in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh He was the first and former president of the Nationalist Congress Party NCP which was founded in 1999 after separating from the Indian National CongressSharad Pawar founded the NCP after his ouster from Congress He Tariq Anwar and PA Sangma raised a revolt in the Congress Working Committee on the issue of Sonia Gandhis foreign origin leading to a split in the party NCP soon earned the recognition of a national party after registering its presence in the states of Maharashtra Goa Meghalaya and Manipur However it lost the tag this yearPawar belongs to rural Maharashtra and is sometimes referred to as Chanakya in political circles He played a crucial role in the formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi the alliance between Congress Shiv Sena and the NCP Maharashtra is set to undergo polls next year The Mahavikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena NCP and Congress which came to power in the state collapsed after Eknath Shinde revolted and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP along with MLAs of the Shiv SenaThis led to the formation of the Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde factionBJP government in the state A year later Ajit Pawar from the NCP revolted against his party chief and joined hands with the BJP along with some of his party colleagues The state is now run by the Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCPThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever