Ajit Pawar backs PM's 'ek hai to safe hai' message; opposes 'batenge to katenge'

Amravati (Maharashtra): Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's `ek hai to safe hai' slogan, but opposed Yogi Adityanath's refrain `batenge to katenge', terming it alien to Maharashtra's ideological heritage.

Speaking to PTI amid the campaign for the November 20 state assembly elections, he also claimed that his nephew and now rival candidate Yugendra Pawar is not interested in politics, and does not even like to stay in Baramati.

Supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign slogan of "ek hai to safe hai', he said India will be safe if it remained united.

"There is nothing wrong with that (slogan), I don't see any issue here. If we stay together, everyone will prosper," he added.

However, he expressed disapproval about the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's refrain that "divided we will get cut down".

"The remark `batenge to katenge' is inappropriate. People's thinking in UP, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh is different, but such statements don't work here. Using such words holds no significance in Maharashtra, in my opinion. Maharashtra is the state of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Shivaji Maharaj. People of Maharashtra are different, and they think differently. If anyone leaves the ideology of Shahu, Shivaji, Phule and Ambedkar, then Maharashtra will not spare them," Ajit added.

On Yugendra Pawar, the son of his brother, being fielded by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP against him on the family turf of Baramati, Ajit said his mother urged the senior Pawar to avoid a contest within the family.

"I made (wife) Sunetra Pawar contest against Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections. This has badly hurt (Sharad Pawar), that is why they made Yugendra Pawar contest against me," the NCP chief said.

"Yugendra has no interest in politics.....he does not like to come to Baramati. He likes to stay abroad," Ajit Pawar said, adding "I don't know what happened to him." In the Lok Sabha elections, Ajit's cousin Supriya Sule defeated his wife Sunetra in a high-octane battle in Baramati.

"My mother told Pawar saheb there should not be a contest within the Pawar family, but they fielded a candidate. Sharad Pawar is a big leader. I don't want to speak about it. But despite messages from my mother, he took such a decision," the NCP chief added.

He expressed confidence that he would retain the Baramati assembly seat.

"People there know that several people were involved in the development of Baramati, but I have put in the most efforts, and Baramati knows that. I have worked there, and my work speaks for itself," Ajit said.

About a recent report regarding the influx of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants in Maharashtra, he said it was a "very serious observation", and all the senior leaders must sit together and take a decision on how to tackle the issue.

Asked if the NCP led by him will return to the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi if the elections delivered a fractured mandate, he ruled out the possibility.

"No, I am not thinking of it now, because my aim is to win 175 seats for Mahayuti (ruling alliance of the NCP, BJP and Shiv Sena)," he said.

The Maratha factor will play a vital role in the state elections, he said, conceding that many people listen to Manoj Jarange who is agitating for reservation for the Maratha community, and its effect was seen in the Lok Sabha elections.

About the credit for the `Ladki Bahin Yojana' for women, which the ruling alliance is hoping will be gamechanger in the elections, Ajit Pawar said it was a government scheme and will benefit all the Mahayuti partners.

When asked for his reaction to Shiv Sena minister Tanaji Sawant's remark a few weeks ago that he felt like vomiting when sitting next to Ajit Pawar at cabinet meetings, the NCP chief said it was the wrong statement, and "I will speak with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over it."

Defending his party colleague Nawab Malik who is facing probe by the Enforcement Directorate, Ajit said none of the allegations against him have been proven in the court.