‘Like medicines, relationships too expire’: Ajit’s brother on him leaving Pawar senior

While adding he was not ready to leave Sharad’s side just because the latter was 83 years old, Shrinivas said that some of friends had advised him to side with Ajit as the future lay with him. “This thought that we are not at all sensitive about an elderly person is very painful for me. Anyone who has such a thought is an unworthy person,” Shrinivas said in reference to Ajit Pawar’s frequent criticism of his uncle’s age and advice to retire.

Reacting to Shrinivas’s video, another legislator from Pawar family, Rohit Pawar – grandnephew of Sharad Pawar – said that Shrinivas had taken a stand that every common citizen felt. “(Sharad) Pawar saheb gave an identity to the family and none in the family have liked the stand taken by Ajit Pawar. Family never abandoned him, but he stands alone because of his decisions,” said Rohit Pawar.

Sharad Pawar supporter and NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad said the NCP(SP) chief always worked hard to keep the family united. “Ajit Pawar has been consistently speaking against Sharad and that is the reason why there is anger against him in the house,” said Awhad.

NCP reacted by saying politics and family were different. “In politics, Ajit dada has followed the rule of majority which is expected in a democracy. More than family members, Ajit dada has given a thought about his workers and party. It is important that both, family and politics should be kept separate,” said NCP spokesperson Amol Mitkari.

After joining hands with the BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP will contest the Baramati Lok Sabha seat by fielding his wife Sunetra Pawar against sitting LS MP and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule. The possible battle has led to non-political members of the Pawar family jumping into the fray for the first time. Following the NCP’s split, Ajit Pawar won the battle in the election commission of India (ECI) by winning the party symbol and name.

“How can someone muster the courage to ask such a person (Sharad Pawar) to retire and stay at home? I do not like such a personality…Like every medicine has an expiry date, every relation too has an expiry date. Consider it as an expiry and move ahead in life,” Shrinivas Pawar said in the video, adding that the rift in the party and the family seems to be a ploy of the BJP and RSS to finish “Pawar saheb’s” name.