Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar up in arms over Mahayuti leader’s remark on uncle Sharad Pawar

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s public condemnation of the remarks made by Sadabhau Khot — a legislator from the state's ruling Mahayuti alliance of which Pawar is also part — against Sharad Pawar is yet another reflection of the tension within the alliance.

Khot's reported derogatory comment about Sharad Pawar — the Nationalist Congress Party-Shard Pawar (NCP-SP) chief — at an election rally ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra, was clearly strong enough to prompt Ajit Pawar to defend his estranged uncle and his own position as leader of the breakaway NCP faction, which has retained the original symbol of the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar.

The rally in support of BJP candidate Gopichand Padalkar in Jat, which was also attended by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, saw Khot's comment draw sharp criticism. Ajit Pawar is among those to express his objection to the language used by the farmer leader, emphasising that such a remark was inappropriate, especially in the presence of senior political leaders.

Addressing the crowd, Khot allegedly said, “Pawar saheb says he wants to change the face of Maharashtra. What face? You want to make the face of Maharashtra like yours?”

Sharad Pawar underwent surgery after being diagnosed with oral cancer in 2004, causing partial disfigurement to his face and a speech impediment.

Objecting to Khot's comments in an X post on Wednesday, Ajit Pawar, who broke ranks with Sharad Pawar last year and joined the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena government, said the remark was condemnable and inappropriate and will not be tolerated.

Speaking to reporters in Pune on Thursday, Ajit Pawar also said, "Whatever he (Khot) said was highly condemnable and connotes 'vinash kale viprit buddhi' (one's thoughts go astray when destruction nears)."

Former chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan had shown how to behave in political life, how to not cross a limit when speaking about rivals in politics. A similar tradition was later carried forward by other chief ministers, he noted. "The remarks made by Khot are highly condemnable and I have already condemned it," the deputy CM said, adding that he had called Khot to register his displeasure over the statement.

"I told him that nobody liked your remarks about Pawar saheb. I told him that making personal remarks about someone is not our method. I also told him that it must not happen against Pawar saheb or any leader, irrespective of party," he said.

In the wake of the backlash, Khot, who is the founder of Rayat Kranti Sangathana and an ally of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, issued a public apology.

In a video message released on Thursday, Khot expressed regret, stating that he was taking back his comment if it had hurt anyone's sentiments. He emphasised that it was not his intention to offend anyone, and offered his apology for the controversial statement made during the rally.

"It is colloquial lingo in rural areas and some people misconstrued my remarks, but if someone's sentiments have been hurt, I take back my words and express an apology," Khot said in his message.

With agency inputs