Sharad Pawar Meets PM Modi, Discusses ED Action Against Sena MP Sanjay Raut

"The Prime Minister did not respond. I didn't even expect that he would give any answer. I just kept my word," he said.

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament. According to reports, the meeting lasted for about 20 minutes. 

During the meeting, Pawar discussed the matter regarding the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaching properties of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

ED has slapped attachment orders on assets worth Rs 11.15 crore belonging to friends and wife of Raut in an alleged money-laundering case. ED's action came hours after Maharashtra government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of corruption against the central probe agency.

"The Prime Minister did not respond. I didn't even expect that he would give any answer. I just kept my word," he said.

While speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pawar said he brought to the notice of the PM the matter regarding (ED) attaching properties of Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut.

"If a central agency takes a step like this, then they've to take responsibility for it..this action against him because he speaks against the Govt?" he asked.

When asked about rumours of being elected as the new chief of UPA, Pawar said that he is not interested to take this responsibility. "I am not ready for this, I have said this before," Pawar said.

Pawar's refusal to take charge of the UPA comes amid opposition parties trying hard to build an alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), especially after Assembly election results of five states.

"I am not going to take up any responsibility to lead any front comprising various parties against the BJP," Pawar has said earlier. 

"Recently, some youth workers of our party (NCP) passed a resolution asking me to become the chairperson of the UPA. But I am not at all interested in that position. I am not going to get into that. I will not take up that responsibility," he had, as reported by news agency PTI.

Pawar also pointed out that any initiative aimed at providing an alternative to the BJP cannot be realised without including the Congress party. 

He also spoke about extending cooperation and support to strengthen any block that comes up against the BJP and highlighted how regional parties are giving a tough fight.