On Saturday, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar announced that he would hold press conferences with presentations on February 10 and February 12 to raise questions related to the plane crash of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the merger of the two NCP factions.
He was speaking to the media after casting his vote in the Baramati Zilla Parishad elections.
Rohit Pawar said, “On February 10, during a press conference with a presentation, I will raise certain doubts related to Ajit Pawar’s plane accident. On February 12, I will hold another press conference in Mumbai to explain what was decided regarding the merger of the two NCP factions.”
“I will explain why we were considering the merger, what was in Ajit Dada’s mind, and what we were thinking,” he added.
Rohit Pawar said the family was too shaken by Ajit Pawar’s death to think about politics initially. “None of us were in a position to think politically. Now, as we slowly come out of the shock, we will begin to think about politics. So far, there has been no political discussion within the Pawar family. This process will begin after February 9,” he said.
Pawar further said it was Ajit Pawar’s heartfelt wish that the entire Pawar family should come together as one. “No one can replace Ajit Dada. But as a family, I see Ajit Dada in Sunetra Kaki,” he said, adding that the family had wanted her to be appointed Deputy Chief Minister with all the portfolios held by Ajit Pawar. He also said that Sunetra Pawar should now be made the national president of the party.
He added that Ajit Pawar had genuinely wanted all members of the Pawar family to unite and had made sincere efforts toward that goal. “Supriya Tai, Pawar Saheb, and we too were trying for the same. After the tragic incident, we have been together as a family for 13 days. Ajit Dada’s dream was that we should stay united,” he said.
Rohit Pawar pointed out that without any prior planning, Srinivas Pawar, Parth Pawar, and Sunetra Pawar arrived together to vote at Katewadi on Sunday, calling it a reflection of Ajit Pawar’s vision of family unity.
He further said that on Saturday, Pawar Saheb had guided Jay Pawar and other family members. “It was emotional guidance. There was a discussion in the evening about certain things we will have to do in the coming days and some initiatives to be undertaken in Ajit Dada’s memory. Whenever something comes to Pawar Saheb’s mind, he calls us and guides us,” he said.
When asked about Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, Rohit Pawar declined to comment.
