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In 2019, when Sharad Pawar was addressing a rally in Satara, he was drenched in rain, but he continued his speech. The event was hugely supported by his Karyakartas, and received a lot of praise online.
The message that was conveyed then was quite clear, that an 82-year-old leader is still working hard to reach out to his voters.
Cut to 2023, Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is in shambles — his nephew Ajit Pawar has taken around nine MLAs with him and the party is on the verge of what looks like a split.
But, on Monday, the NCP patriarch, whose political career spans over more than 55 years, was back at Karad, which is part of parliamentary constituency of Satara, to reach out to voters.
“We do not really care who will contest as MLA from our constituency, if Pawar Saheb says a stone is your MLA, we will even vote for him. My MLA has turned out to be traitor, but I am with Pawar Saheb. I will not vote for him now,” said a youngster from Baramati (where Ajit Pawar is the MLA), who was attending Sharad Pawar’s public meet at Karad.
While Pawar senior was standing on stage, he needed the support of his guard. He was holding the hand of his escort staff. Just like in 2019, Satara MP Shrinivas Patil was standing right behind him, as a mark of support and his dedication to Sharad Pawar and party to which Patil has given more than two decades of his life.
The message here was clear again that while Pawar sees a split in his family and party, he is reaching out to his voters again, asking them to support him. Again, a leader covering more than 500 km in a day from 8 am onwards until midnight gives a message that he is the driving force of the party.
While addressing his voters, Pawar made his stance clear that if the state goes in for a poll in the six months, he would need their support.
“We have stood against forces who are trying to break us, but unfortunately some of us were left out. But with your support, we will be strong again. Maharashtra will again move forward on the path of progress,” said Pawar senior.
At Karad, Sharad Pawar paid tributes at the Samadhi of Yashwantrao Chavan, his mentor and former chief minister, hinting at the fact that he is going to fight for his party with the blessings of his guru.
“Today is Gurupurnima (July 3). On this day, we all took the blessings of Chavan Saheb. What can be better than starting a campaign to get the support of the people of Maharashtra. In the next six months, we will get a chance to go to the public,” said Pawar.
After Karad, Pawar headed to Satara, briefly spoke to media and addressed an event to commemorate the efforts of Anna Saheb, a Dalit leader, for his contribution towards the community and the field of education.
Pawar would have ended his day around midnight, when after reaching Silver Oak at Mumbai, he held a meeting with his legal team along with party leader and his daughter Supriya Sule.
Having begun his day at 8 am, Pawar senior left from his residence at Modibaug in Pune, where he was accompanied by several MLAs and MPs from Pune and Satara, and his grandson Rohit Pawar. Throughout his Shakti Pradasan, while his convoy would pass different constituencies, his supporters would gather on highway, gift him a bouquet and shawl before he could head further.
Some had gathered carrying his pictures, party flag and were playing party anthem. At prominent locations, Sharad Pawar’s car was showered with flowers.
A message put out across his route through posters and flexes was quite clear — “Aamhi Sahebansobat” (‘We are with Pawar Saheb’).
Putting a fitting end to his Shakti Pradasan, Pawar’s convoy was led by a bike rally by his workers carrying party flags to the educational event in Satara, where he was the chief guest.
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