Huge Response To Ajit Pawar's Rallies Suggests People Supporting Him For Joining Maharashtra Govt: Sunil Tatkare

Huge response to rallies being addressed by NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar indicates growing support for his decision to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government, state party unit chief Sunil Tatkare, who belongs to the Ajit Pawar camp, claimed on Monday.
    
Ajit Pawar's rally at Beed in Marathwada region was attended by a large number of people on Sunday. He was given a grand welcome in his assembly constituency and Sharad Pawar bastion Baramati in Pune district on Saturday.
    
“Ajit Pawar's rallies are receiving a huge response which suggests people's support for our decision to join the government is growing. A similar rally will be held in Kolhapur on September 10," Tatkare told reporters. 
    
He said rallies organised by the Ajit Pawar camp are not an answer to similar programmes being held in the state but it is "sort of our accountability to the people whom we are serving".
    
The NCP MP also stated that top leaders of all the three ruling parties—Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) along with other allies will organise a two-day meeting in suburban Worli to take stock of all the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra. 
    
Meanwhile, chief spokesperson of NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) Mahesh Tapase criticised Ajit Pawar loyalists without taking names.
    
“It has become the fashion for some people to criticise Sharad Pawar. However, they have conveniently forgotten that the party's association is with secular thoughts. Some people, who were given opportunities by Sharad Pawar have now forgotten him," he alleged.
    
Notably, at least two ministers, Dilip Walse Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal, who were confidants of Sharad Pawar earlier, have openly criticised the Pawar senior.
    
“Sharad Pawar never compromised on his political line and there should not be any doubt about it. The response to rallies addressed by him and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is so huge that it is causing a headache for BJP and its allies. They are trying hard to split the leaders and supporters of Sharad Pawar and Thackeray,” Tapase said.