Ajit Pawar on Maharashtra Assembly elections: 'Our alliance works under common minimum programme' | EXCLUSIVE

In an exclusive interview with India TV NCP's Ajit Pawar spoke about the not-so-well relations with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He also emphasised that he has no bitter relations with Sharad Pawar or Supriya Sule.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who is confident of his alliance's win in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections said that the ruling three-party alliance works under a common minimum programme and is committed for the state's development. Ajit Pawar emphasised that Mahayuti will win 175 seats in the November 20 assembly polls. The NCP chief also said he would win from Baramati seat by a margin of more than 1 lakh votes. Pawar is pitted against nephew and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar.

On the question of the alliance, Ajit Pawar said, "The politics of North is different and the politics of South is different. But the politics of Maharashtra is completely different. Since 1985, not a single party has come to Maharashtra with an absolute majority and this time too it will not come. This is the way of Maharashtra."

No single party can form govt in Maharashtra

He further said that to form a government in Maharashtra, one has to get help from someone or the other. On giving a ticket to Nawab Malik, he said, "I alone did not give the ticket. Alliance have decided the tickets together. We put forward a common minimum program. No single party's government is going to come nor is it going to come in the future."

He said that the Opposition alliance Mahavikas Aghadi (Congress, NCPSP and Shiv Sena UBT) has spread a fake narrative regarding the government's slogan of 400 plus so that they can change the Constitution, stop reservation and declare the country a Hindu nation. "This fake narrative was spread by the opposition. All this is never going to happen in the country."

'I am not a traitor'

Ajit Pawar further said, "We have given funds and budget for minorities while working. Regarding the disintegration of the Pawar family, he said that how many times MLAs told Saheb that we should go into the government. Sharad Pawar announced his retirement at that time but took it back. We contest elections for the work of the people and want to work after winning. Sharad Pawar is such a politician that no one can tell what is going on in his mind. Even Supriya Sule cannot tell. He said that I have not betrayed. I am in the same party. The symbol of the same party is with me. The Assembly Speaker has given it to us. This matter is in the Supreme Court."