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Sharad Pawar’s hint at the retirement comes as the NCP and its allies- Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress prepare for the high-stakes Maharashtra election.
NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar (PTI/File)
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, 83, widely regarded as the ‘grand old man’ of Maharashtra politics, on Tuesday hinted at retirement, saying he would have to “stop somewhere”.
Pawar, who served at several top posts in Maharashtra politics for over six decades, said he would not contest any future elections after his Rajya Sabha term ends in 18 months and would work towards guiding the younger generation in politics.
Addressing a meeting in the Baramati constituency, while seeking votes for his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar, Pawar said, “I am not in power. I am definitely in Rajya Sabha. There is still one-and-a-half years left. But after 1.5 years, I will have to think about whether to go to Rajya Sabha or not. I will not contest Lok Sabha. I will not contest any election.”
“I have contested 14 times. You (people) did not send me home even once. You elected me every time. But, I will have to stop somewhere… I will have to bring the new generation forward. I am working with this principle. This does not mean that I have left social work. But I do not want power. I will keep serving and working for the people,” Pawar added.
The hint at the retirement from politics comes as the NCP (SP) and its allies- Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress prepare for the high-stakes Maharashtra assembly elections, scheduled on November 20.
Sharad Pawar Bats For Yugendra
Pawar, undefeated in his 57-year political career since first being elected as an MLA from Baramati in 1967, highlighted that he will continue to serve and work for the people.
“I handled the development and progress of Baramati for 30 years and then passed on the responsibility to Ajit Pawar for 30 years. This should continue. So, we need to give responsibility for the next 30 years to youth leadership to carry forward the legacy of public service in Baramati. Thus, Yugendra needs to be elected for this purpose in the Assembly election.”
In the upcoming Maharashtra election, the fight for Baramati will be a litmus test for Sharad Pawar, who has fielded his grandnephew, Yugendra Pawar, to contest against his nephew Ajit Pawar, who led the rebellion last year that forced the NCP to split.
The Assembly poll in Baramati will be the second tussle within the Pawar family after the Lok Sabha election earlier this year. That time, NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule defeated Sunetra Pawar, wife of her cousin Ajit Pawar.
- Location :
Maharashtra, India
