Not unhappy, have responsibility as LoP in Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday debunked media reports that he was unhappy after Supriya Sule and Praful Patel were made working presidents of the outfit and he was not given any role in the Sharad Pawar-led party.

In an event in Delhi earlier in the day to mark the 24th anniversary of the founding of the NCP, Sharad Pawar declared Patel and Sule working presidents of the party, marking a generational shift in the organisation.

Talking to reporters here, Ajit Pawar said, "Some media channels ran stories that Ajit Pawar did not get any responsibility, I would like to tell them that I have the responsibility of leader of opposition in Maharashtra." Asserting that he was active in state politics by choice, the former state deputy chief minister said, "For the past several years, Supriya is in Delhi. I am active in state politics. I have responsibility of the state since I am the leader of opposition." Incidentally, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, speaking in Delhi after the event, dismissed suggestions that the appointment of Sule has upset nephew Ajit Pawar.

"The suggestion was made by him (Ajit Pawar). So, where is the question of him being happy or unhappy," Pawar told reporters.

Ajit Pawar was seen as an heir-apparent in the NCP, but his dalliances with the BJP, including an early morning swearing-in as Maharashtra deputy chief minister along with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2019, had not been received well by the party.