Didn't give Sule any post, made Ajit deputy CM four times: Sharad Pawar

PUNE: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar , at a rally for grandnephew Yugendra, mimicked Ajit Pawar 's emotional speech by wiping his eyes with a handkerchief, and said Tuesday, "He (Ajit Pawar) was the one who had said in his speeches during the LS polls that Sharad Pawar would play an emotional card and, with tears in his eyes, would make an appeal to voters. Now, you must have seen his (Ajit's) speech (on Monday). I will not make any emotional appeal, but will speak on the basis of facts."

The NCP (SP) chief's comment came a day after Ajit Pawar said his mother, Ashatai, had advised the other faction not to field a candidate in Baramati. "Who took the call to field the candidate against me? It's said to be Pawar saheb's call. Does that mean he created a split in our family?" he had said after filing his papers on Monday.

The veteran politician said, "Ajit Pawar accused me of breaking family. I am the senior of the family and have always looked to keep family intact. My parents and brothers never taught me the traits of breaking families."

He said, "When our party was in govt and I was in a position to appoint party members to any post, I did not give a single post to Supriya. I made him (Ajit Pawar) deputy CM of Maharashtra four times. Despite that, he was the one who broke away."

On the legal battle between the two NCP factions over the party's name and symbol - first in Election Commission and now in the SC - Sharad Pawar said he was dragged to court on the issue. "I received summons to appear before the court. I spent hours in the EC for hearings on the party's name and symbol. This had never happened in my life," he said.