Pune, June 20: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said that the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will deliberate on contesting the upcoming civic elections in Maharashtra together.
He also expressed surprise that the Pune District Central Co-operative (PDCC) Bank, headed by Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, in Baramati was found open till midnight on Wednesday, ahead of the June 22 election to Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill in the town.
As the Supreme Court has directed that municipal elections be conducted in the state, the process will begin soon, Pawar told reporters in Baramati.
Related Posts:
“Though we have not yet held discussions with the Congress, our party, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), the Shetkari Kamgar Paksh, and other parties will come together and explore the possibility of contesting the polls together. A final decision will be taken, as we wish to fight the polls together,” he said.
Asked whether the MVA would jointly contest the civic polls in Mumbai, he said no such discussion has taken place so far.
“Among us, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has a strong base in Mumbai, and their opinion will be taken into consideration,” he added. The Bal Thackeray-founded undivided Shiv Sena had controlled the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for more than two decades before it came under administrator rule a few years ago.
After last year’s assembly elections, in which the MVA could win only 46 of the state’s 288 seats, the upcoming local body polls are expected to be another high-stakes contest.
When asked about the PDCC bank remaining open until about midnight on Wednesday in Baramati, where Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill polls are scheduled, Pawar said the bank was found open late in the night during the Lok Sabha elections too.
“This is the second time it is happening. The bank cannot remain open unless there are instructions from those who are controlling it,” he said.
Ajit Pawar is among the 90 candidates in the fray for the 21-member board of directors of the sugar mill. NCP (SP) has also entered the contest.
Responding to a query concerning Hindi as a third language in Maharashtra, Pawar said it should not be made mandatory.
“It should remain optional. Those who want to choose Hindi can opt for it. 50 to 60 per cent of the population speaks Hindi, and the language is used to facilitate better communication. So, it is not appropriate to neglect the language, but at the same time, it is also not correct to make it compulsory,” he said.
Opposition parties have accused the BJP of trying to impose Hindi in Maharashtra through “deception” to wipe out the Marathi language and culture after the state government recently issued an order making Hindi “generally” the third language for students of Classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi medium schools.
To a question concerning the speculation that a cyberattack was behind the Air India plane crash, the octogenarian leader said he did not think that way. “As per the information I have, Air India takes utmost precautions about the mechanical aspects of its planes. An unfortunate accident occurred, and it is currently being probed,” he said.
Asked about India’s foreign policy towards the US in the present geopolitical context, Pawar said India has good relations with America. “In some cases, we do not like their policies. In such cases, we should stick to the policies on which there is mutual understanding. We cannot ignore the fact that America is a superpower,” he said.
To a question about his inclusion in the 18-member reconstituted committee to resolve the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, Pawar said he was not aware of it. However, he offered to provide all help and support on the issue. (PTI)
