Remove Ajit Pawar from ruling alliance, says BJP leader at party meet; NCP fumes
Pune, Jun 27: A BJP office-bearer from Shirur in Maharashtra's Pune district has sought the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his NCP from the ruling alliance, which also consists of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.
A video of Sudarshan Choudhary, the BJP's Shirur tehsil vice president, making the demand at a party meeting recently has gone viral, leading to a backlash from the Nationalist Congress Party, whose workers mobbed him on Thursday and sought an apology.
"It is a suggestion to you. Listen to what party workers are thinking. If you really want to make a decision, remove Ajit Pawar from the Mahayuti (ruling alliance)," Choudhary tells the BJP leadership in the video.
He also said senior leaders like Subhash Deshmukh, Rahul Kulkarni and Yogesh Tilekar, who were present in the meeting, could have become ministers and others could have been made head of state-run corporations if Pawar was not part of the ruling dispensation.
The BJP had been opposing Pawar for the last 10 years but workers are now in a state of fear because the Deputy CM is at the helm of affairs, Choudhary further claimed.
It is the wish of all BJP workers in the tehsil that they do want such power which also involves Ajit Pawar, he added.
"Why bring Ajit Pawar to power because he will issue orders and suppress BJP workers," Choudhary said in the video.
Speaking to reporters on the issue, Choudhary said during the review meeting held in Shirur, BJP workers freely expressed their wish.
Meanwhile, several Nationalist Congress Party workers arrived at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) complex here when Choudhary was talking to reporters, shouted slogans against him and sought an apology for the statement on the deputy CM.
The ruling alliance got a drubbing in the recent Lok Sabha polls, managing to win just 17 seats against the Maha Vikas Aghadi's 30.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP emerged victorious on just Raigad seat. In Shirur, NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe trounced the ruling alliance's Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil by a margin of more than 1.40 lakh votes.
Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs had joined the Shinde government in July last year.
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Arrive 3 hours early: Airlines urge passengers as centre tightens airport security after Pak attack
New Delhi: Airlines have asked passengers to reach airports at least three hours before departure after the Centre increased security measures in response to Pakistan’s ongoing attack, reported India Today.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, all passengers will now face a Secondary Ladder Point Check (SLPC) before boarding. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has directed all airports and airlines to step up security.
Air India said, “Passengers are advised to arrive at least three hours prior to departure. Check-in closes 75 minutes before departure.” Akasa Air and IndiGo issued similar advisories, asking passengers to allow more time for security checks.
All passengers must carry valid photo ID and will undergo secondary checks before boarding. Visitor entry to terminals has been banned, and Air Marshals will be deployed as required.
The moves come as India’s defence systems shot down Pakistani missiles and drones in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. At least 21 airports are shut till May 10, and several flights are cancelled. Civilian aircraft are avoiding airspace over Pakistan and India’s western corridor, data from Flightradar24 shows.
