'Attempts Being Made To Create Communal Divide In Maha And India': Sharad Pawar Attacks BJP After Ajit's Exit

While addressing the public, the NCP chief said that a rift is being created in Maharashtra and the country in the name of caste and religion by some groups.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar addressed a public meeting in Maharashtra's Karad just a day after NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined Shiv Sena & BJP-led Maharashtra government and remarked that a rift is being created among people in the state and the country by some groups in the name of caste and religion. While addressing the people, he said that there was a need to fight forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra and the country.

He hinted at his nephew Ajit Pawar joining forces with BJP and said, "Some of our people fell prey to BJP's tactics to break other parties. Attempts are being made to create communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. We need to fight forces that create fear among peace-loving citizens. We need to protect democracy in the country," as reported by PTI.

He continued by saying, "We were serving Maharashtra under Uddhav Thackeray but our government was toppled by some people. The same happened in some other parts of the country too in Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal where the governments are working democratically, are being attacked," as reported by ANI.

Prior to his address, he visited the Preeti-Sangam memorial of his political mentor and the first chief minister of Maharashtra Yashwantrao Chavan. He was accompanied by Prithviraj Chavan. 

Meanwhile, NCP's Maharashtra president Jayant Patil while talking to ANI said, "We have sent a petition to the Assembly speaker last night. We requested him to hear us. Our party's strength in the Assembly is 53, of which 9 have defected, the rest all are with us. We will give them a fair chance to come back but will take action against those who do not come back"

Ajit Pawar-Led NCP Split

Ajit Pawar's shift to the saffron side came as a dramatic move that changed the whole political equations in the state ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls next year. He took oath as the second Deputy Chief Minister and eight other NCP MLAs also joined the Eknath Shinde-led government. The Sunday shocker came while the opposition is trying to forge unity against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. 

Following this development, Eknath Shide hit out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar by saying that some people were talking about 'googly' but everyone saw who got clean bowled. He added that "It's a hit wicket. This is not a new government, Shiv Sena and BJP government were functioning under PM Modi's leadership. Development work was going on and Ajit Pawar who believed in the development work, supported and joined the government."

NCP has filed a disqualification petition against its nine leaders. NCP leader Jayant Patil while informing about this said, "We have filed a disqualification petition with the Speaker of the Assembly, and we will send hard copies as soon as possible. This disqualification petition was filed against nine leaders." He added that a letter has also been sent to the Election Commission of India.