After Ajit Pawar, Veteran NCP Leader's Jibe At Sharad Pawar's Age

Amid the ongoing Maharashtra political uproar, National Congress Party (NCP) leader of Ajit Pawar faction, Chhagan Bhujbal took a veiled dig at NCP National President Sharad Pawar regarding his age and said that he also did not take responsibility of the State President seeing his age, adding that the day when Ajit Pawar will ask them to stop, they will stop.

While addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Mr Bhujbal said, "Seeing the age, I also did not take the responsibility of the state president, we are doing the work that has to be done by being a minister and the work that has to be done at the party level. The day when Ajit Pawar asks us to stop, we will stop."

Speaking about the crisis in NCP that came after Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs switched sides and joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government, Mr Bhujbal said that they were trying to find a way out till the end, but the way was not found, so they moved ahead.

"We were working till the end to find a way out. Primary discussions were held with Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil. Later it was also discussed with Pawar Sahab but the way was not found, so we have to move ahead," he said.

Earlier, on Wednesday, taking a swipe, Ajit Pawar urged Sharad Pawar to step down and give a chance to the new generation, stating that even leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retire at the age of 75.

The junior Pawar also has blamed the 82-year-old Sharad Pawar for NCP losing out on the chance to have a chief minister of Maharashtra despite having the support of a majority of MLAs in the year 2014.

"You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)...But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60...even in politics - BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi...That allows the new generation to rise," said Ajit Pawar.

Later in the day NCP's working president Supriya Sule in a stern response asked the deputy CM not to disrespect her father. "Disrespect us, but not our father (Sharad Pawar). This fight is against the Bharatiya Janata Party government. BJP is the most corrupt party in the country," said Ms Sule in Mumbai on Wednesday.

"I saw the 2019 elections, this 84-year-old man fought and won, age is just a number," Ms Sule said further.

The politics of Maharashtra is on the boil since Sunday as senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)