NCP president Sharad Pawar, at a party meet, has advised his party colleagues to avoid slanderous comments and personal allegations against members of other parties. However, he availed of the opportunity to give chief minister Prithviraj Chavan a pep talk.
When asked about Mr Chavan’s recent comments that the NCP was a party formed out of personal ambitions, Mr Sharad Pawar said that he considered the comment a “compliment” as it implied that at least he did not have to look towards the Centre for every little decision. “We don’t look northwards or southwards before taking the smallest decision. We simply look at the people we are supposed to work for and take decisions immediately.”
Responding to the CM’s comments on how the Congress would like to contest elections on its own in 2014 to form a one-party government, Mr Sharad Pawar said, “The chief minister’s comments have inspired us to prepare ourselves well in advance.”
With reference to the recent spat between Congress minister Narayan Rane one side and NCP ministers Ajit Pawar and R.R Patil on the other, Mr Sharad Pawar warned his partymen that the two parties had to work together in the zila parishad and municipal elections. “I appeal to all my colleagues to avoid personal attacks on others. We all have the right to tell the people how good or bad a candidate is, but we must not malign people.” He went on to add that it was an critical election for the Congress and the NCP as they are contesting together in the Centre as well as in Goa and hence need to work as a unit.