Sharad Pawar justifies talks with Ajit as policy-driven

Amid objections from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Sena faction regarding Sharad Pawar and his family's meetings with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar defended these discussions, emphasising they were for addressing "people's issues." He clarified that collaborating on matters like sugarcane production and agriculture requires involving those in government, making these meetings essential. Pawar argued that after years of working in the sector, solutions can't be achieved alone, and engagement with the government is necessary.

Just a day earlier, Sharad and Ajit Pawar had met to discuss implementing AI in agriculture and the sugar industry, prompting criticism from the Sena (UBT) faction. Sanjay Raut from UBT questioned the frequency of such interactions, pointing out the absence of similar meetings between UBT and Eknath Shinde's faction.

On Tuesday, Sunetra Pawar, Ajit's wife and Rajya Sabha MP, also met Sharad Pawar at a Vidya Pratisthan meeting, a family-linked educational body. Yugendra Pawar, Sharad Pawar's grand-nephew and a member of the organisation, emphasised that family ties remain intact despite political differences, highlighting his respect for both his uncle, Ajit, and the Pawar family's longstanding connections. He noted that political differences don't erase years of shared history, suggesting that Ajit's rebellion doesn't change their mutual respect and family bonds.