Highlights: Ajit Pawar Claims He Heads NCP; Sharad Pawar Calls Key Meet Today

Eknath Shinde Calls Urgent Party Meet Amid Pushback Over Ajit Pawar Entry
Ajit Pawar's entry into Maharashtra's ruling coalition has generated great discomfort among the Shiv Sena MLAs supporting Eknath Shinde -- so much so that the Chief Minister has cancelled all his appointments today and called an urgent party meeting. Read here

Ajit Pawar Camp Claims Independent MLA, Earlier Backing His Uncle, Now With Them

Sharad Pawar Calls Key Meeting In Delhi Tomorrow

The Significance Of The Date June 30 In Ajit Pawar's Move

Ajit Pawar Elected NCP Chief On June 30, Says Note By Rebel Camp

Not Sharad Pawar, Nephew Ajit Now NCP Chief, His Camp Informs Election Body

"Let's Start Once Again...": Sharad Pawar's Poetic End To Long Speech
"After the darkest hour, comes dawn. So let's start once again with new hope," Sharad Pawar ends his long and emotional speech with a line from a poetry, with a hope for starting his party anew. 

"Don't Worry Over Those Who Left, Let's Give New Leadership To State": Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar's Long Explanation On Why He Won't Back BJP
"Whatever you decided today, if you would have taken the decision by speaking to us, it would have been better. Remember what happened with these parties and I don't think something different would happen with you. Now they say if we can go with Shiv Sena, then why not with BJP? There's a difference between Shiv Sena and BJP. During Emergency, Balasaheb Thackeray backed Emergency. During election, Shiv Sena didn't appoint a single candidate and supported Congress. During Indira Gandhi's reign, Shiv Sena backed Congress. Yes, Shiv Sena also follows Hindutva, but they take everyone together, that's their Hindutva. BJP's Hindutva is about dividing people, poisonous, Manuwadi and dangerous. They divide people, that's BJP'S hindutva. In the state, we saw a lot of riots. It happened in Shahu Maharaj's Kolhapur, Nanded and other places. Everyone knows who was behind this riot. Wherever you aren't in power, divide people and come in power is what they believe in. People who divide on the basis of religion and caste, they can't be the one who loves the country. That's why we can't go with someone who believes in this," says Sharad Pawar.

"BJP Destroys Parties That Form Government With Them": Sharad Pawar

"Yes We Rebelled In Past": Sharad Pawar Explains Janata Party Formation
"They now say that even Sharad Pawar had rebelled in the past, yes we did. We did with the support of all Congress leaders. They asked me to take the lead. The party wasn't BJP, it was Janta Party and because of them, under the leadership of Morarji Desai, the party was formed. Now they say what's wrong if we went with BJP. They gave example of Nagaland. Yes, in Nagaland, our 7 MLAs are with the BJP. Nagaland is a bordering state with another country. States that share the border with China and Pakistan, we have to think a lot. The other country could take some benefit, that's why we gave support from outside. Here they formed the government and gave this example, I cannot agree with this example," says Sharad Pawar.

Sharad Pawar Targets Rival Camp, Says "Not Feeling Good"
A Deputy Chief Minister of BJP had earlier said that Vidarbh should be separate. He has been saying this again and again in the past. What happened now? Today, a few of our people went there. We aren't feeling good. 10 days ago, the same people said that we never saw such a Chief Minister in the history of Maharashtra. Now they are doing Namaskaar to the same Chief Minister," says Sharad Pawar.

"Later I Saw Him...": Sharad Pawar On Conversation With Leader Who Changed Camp
"A person went to jail, we tried to get him out. During elections some people told us don't give him ticket, I said no, there has been injustice against him, we gave him ticket. When our government was formed, he (Chhagan Bhujbal) was the first person to take oath. I got a call 3 days back from him, when I asked what's happening, he said I will check and let you know. Later I saw him taking oath at 3 pm," says Sharad Pawar.

"They Call Me Guru, They Know It Won't Work Without My Photo": Sharad Pawar
"Some people gave speeches today, they called me Guru. In today's meeting of theirs, the biggest photo they used was of mine. They used several posters across Maharashtra and used my photo. They know that it won't work without my photo. That's why they are using it. They call me Pandurang and guru and say that I didn't pay attention to them. This is funny," says Sharad Pawar.

"Party Symbol Will Be With Us, It Won't Go Anywhere": Sharad Pawar
"I will give my own example. We were in Congress. Later, we decided to form a new party. We left the Congress party office. We could have kept it, but we didn't. But in Nashik, with the help of police, they took control of the party office. And they say that this is our party. Let me tell you that the party symbol will be with us, it won't go anywhere," says Sharad Pawar.

"You Went Without Taking Party Workers In Confidence": Sharad Pawar
"Now MLAs and MPs of the current government call us in private and say several things. I saw Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narsimha Rao, Manmohan Singh, MPs used to meet and express the administration issues of their areas and no one used to take it personally. Now no one says anything. How will the country run like this?" asks Sharad Pawar.

"If NCP Is Bad, Why Did You Take It In Government", Asks Sharad Pawar
"In MP, PM Modi said that Congress did corruption, NCP did corruption of 70,000 crore. PM has a specialiity, he came to Baramati once and said he learnt from me how to run the government and the administration. Later, he made several allegations against me. If someone has done something wrong, take action against them. But they didn't take any action against anyone. He is the leader of a party, but he is also the leader of the country and he should think what he is speaking and if it is true. He doesn't do that. If NCP is bad, why did you take NCP in government? This government says whatever they want and create a atmosphere among the masses," says Sharad Pawar.

"Restlessness In Several Parts Of Country": Sharad Pawar

"We Have To Go Ahead, There Are Lot Of Challenges": Sharad Pawar
"We have to go ahead. There are a lot of challenges. I have worked with a lot of leaders in the central government. From Manmohan Singh to other leaders, I have worked with them. I have seen the way they work. In the last many years people used to find solution of the problems. I have been the Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times. My way of functioning used to be that even for a small decision, we used to speak to the people. If there's any issue with the decision, we would find a solution. This is not the attitude of the current government. We are not in the government, we are in opposition," says Sharad Pawar.

"NCP Workers From Common Family Were Able To Run Government": Sharad Pawar
"Today's meeting is historic. The entire country is seeing this meeting. In your presence, 24 years ago, NCP was formed in Mumbai. The meeting happened at Shanmukhanand hall and in the evening lakhs of people were present in Shivaji Park. In the last 24 years, NCP has been able to reach out to every nook and corner of the state. Some became MLA, Ministers, MPs. Even workers from a common family were able to run the government. New leaders were created and we had only one motto to take Maharashtra ahead," says Sharad Pawar.