New Delhi: Days after taking oath as Maharashtra Deputy CM, Ajit Pawar on Wednesday urged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar to take retirement from politics and pass on the baton to the new generation, stating that even leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retire at the age of 75.


Addressing the party workers, including 32 of NCP’s 53 MLAs, at MET College in Bandra, he said. "You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)...But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60...even in politics - BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi...That allows the new generation to rise...You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings."


He added, "The other day, he went to YB Chavan memorial...I have also been there...but you are 83, aren't you going to stop? Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life."






Speaking about the norms of society, he highlighted that even a farmer's son is given the responsibility to look after the farm once he reaches the appropriate age, while the elders step back to the role of an adviser.


"Are we not capable of running a government? We are. In Maharashtra politics, among those four to five key leaders, doesn't my name figure, even if it is at the end? Then, why are we not given the blessings? Even at a farmer's home, a son who reaches the age of 25 is told to look after the farm, while the elderly steps back to the role of an adviser. This is the norm," Maharashtra Deputy CM said.


He also blamed Sharad Pawar for NCP losing out on the chance to have a chief minister in 2004. “We had more MLAs than Congress in 2004, but our senior leader allowed Congress to bag the CM's post,” he said.


Meanwhile, reacting to Pawar's move to join Eknath Shinde's government, NCP Working President Supriya Sule said, "Disrespect us, but not our father (Sharad Pawar). This fight is against the BJP government. BJP is the most corrupt party in the country."


The original NCP is with Sharad Pawar and the original symbol is us, added Sule.