Sharad Pawar, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), responded to his nephew Ajit Pawar’s retirement jibe by claiming that he is still can work even at the age of 82 as party members had asked him to continue.

Ajit Pawar stated that it was time for his uncle to step down as leader of the NCP and give over the keys to him. When Ajit Pawar defied Sharad Pawar and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra cabinet last week, a crisis erupted within the party.

According to India Today, Sharad Pawar said, ” “Na tired hu, na retired hu. “Who are they to tell me to retire? I can still work.”

Sharad Pawar revealed that his party had talks with the BJP for an alliance in 2014, 2017 and 2019, but refrained to go ahead with the saffron party due to ideological differences.

On Ajit Pawar’s decision to join Shinde’s Government Sharad Pawar said, “There is a difference between the Shiv Sena and the BJP. Ajit is wrong in saying that if we can go with the Sena, why not the BJP? The Sena had an alliance with the Congress during Emergency and when we formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government with them. We are against the BJP.”

Sharad Pawar responded to Ajit Pawar’s claims that the NCP supported dynastic politics by pointing out that his nephew had been given important ministries and had served as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister four times.

“Even Praful Patel was made a minister in the UPA despite losing the election. In the UPA, PA Sangma’s daughter was appointed a Union Minister. Supriya (Sule) has not got that chance yet. How come Ajit is saying this? This is wrong,” Sharad Pawar said.

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