We have aligned with BJP, but not abandoned our 'ideology': Ajit Pawar camp leader Bhujbal
Pune (PTI): Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has said though they have aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party, they have not abandoned their "ideology", and criticised NCP founder Sharad Pawar for changing his stand on joining hands with the BJP on multiple occasions.
Bhujbal claimed 45 of the 53 NCP MLAs have gone with Ajit Pawar and said, "What would have I done by remaining outside."
Speaking to reporters at Mahatma Phule Wada in Pune on Monday, Bhujbal said Sharad Pawar announced support to the BJP in 2014 after it formed government following the Assembly polls without the Shiv Sena's backing.
"That time I wondered and said we are in the Opposition. In 2017 also, when I was in jail, five leaders from the NCP and five leaders from the BJP discussed about NCP's induction in the government. That time, the BJP was told to drop its ally Shiv Sena to pave the way for a BJP-NCP government. Then also he (Pawar senior) backtracked," he claimed.
Asked whether he has changed his ideology, from being a follower of social reformers like Mahatma Phule to now aligning with Hindutva forces, Bhujbal said they have not merged with the BJP.
"Nitish Kumar (Bihar CM) was with them (BJP), he left...Mamata Banerjee was there (in BJP-led NDA), she came out. Though we have aligned with them, we have not left our ideology," he said.
Bhujbal and eight other NCP MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, took oath as cabinet ministers in the Eknath Shinde government on July 2 after breaking away from the 24-year-old party. Ajit Pawar took over as deputy chief minister.
In 2019 also a decision was finalised to go with the BJP, Bhujbal said.
A meeting was held in New Delhi where it was decided the BJP will drop its alliance partner Shiv Sena and the NCP will form government with the national saffron party, said the prominent OBC leader.
"After the BJP and the Shiv Sena snapped ties over the issue of sharing the CM position (post-2019 Assembly polls), the NCP was asked to come on board. He (Pawar) said 'yes they are with the BJP' and Pawar extended support and it was decided we will go with the BJP. He again backtracked and formed a government with the Shiv Sena (with Congress as third partner)," he said.
Angry over this approach, Ajit Pawar went and took oath as deputy CM in an early morning ceremony at the Raj Bhavan with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister, Bhujbal claimed.
The rebel NCP leader said some months ago a similar decision was taken to go with the BJP, but the move was abruptly rescinded.
"How long this sort of inconsistent stand will go on? How much credibility will remain (if decisions are changed frequently). We (BJP and NCP) will keep fighting (publicly) and you will keep negotiating (behind closed doors). Nobody liked (this stand)," he said.
To a question, Bhujbal said on July 2 he did receive a call from Sharad Pawar and told the latter he will go to the Raj Bhavan and see what was happening there.
He also claimed the former Union minister often takes decisions without consulting others.
"I told him I will go (to Raj Bhavan) and check what is happening, but that did not mean I did not know anything. He (Sharad Pawar) announced his resignation (as party chief in May) without telling us. He withdrew it without telling us. He holds discussions in Delhi, but we are not told," the minister said.
Bhujbal said it was he who suggested Sharad Pawar, after he quit in May, to make his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule as NCP's working president to ease the burden of organisational work on him.
"In the committee which was formed to decide on his resignation, two resolutions were passed. One was that Pawar saheb will take back his resignation and if he insisted on stepping down, Sule should be made NCP national working president. That time (NCP leaders) PC Chacko and Jitendra Awhad shouted at (party leader) Praful Patel (who is now in Ajit Pawar camp)," he said.
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Cong govt ended ‘darkness’ in 11 months of rule in T’gana: CM Revanth Reddy rebuts PM Modi's remark
Hyderabad (PTI): During the last 11 months, the Congress government in Telangana has reversed an air of gloom and despair under the previous BRS regime and ended the "darkness", Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said on Saturday.
He was responding to a post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that under Congress rule developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.
“I am happy to clarify several misconceptions and factual errors in your statements about my state and our government," Reddy said in his post.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday in a series of posts said the Congress stands "badly exposed" in front of people for promising to them what the party knows it will never be able to deliver.
“Every promise made by us to people is a sacred commitment for us. In the last 11 months, we have reversed an air of gloom & despair under BRS, and ended the darkness. Like a morning sun, Telangana is now Rising,” Reddy said in the post addressed to Modi.
Within two days of taking charge, the Telangana government fulfilled its first and second promise - free bus travel for women across all government buses, and a healthcare and hospitalisation cover of 10 lakhs under Rajiv Aarogyasree, the CM pointed out.
Even before completion of first year of rule, the Congress government has implemented India's largest ever, state-level farmer loan waiver of Rs 18,000 crore covering over 22 lakh farmers, he said responding to PM’s comments that in Telangana, farmers are awaiting the (loan) waiver they were promised.
Women get free electricity, with no domestic power charge for their homes up to 200 units, Reddy noted.
The CM also claimed that his government has held the largest recruitment drive and is regularly holding exams of all levels and provided jobs to over 50,000 eligible youth, a record “unmatched by any BJP state government.”
The CM said the government is rejuvenating River Musi, which was allegedly neglected by the previous government and protecting lakes and other precious water bodies, encroached upon and destroyed wantonly with abandon in the last 10 years.
