Government to celebrate Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary with two-year nationwide programme

Sharadchandra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Supriya Sule took a dig at her cousin and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar over his frequent visits to Delhi, saying she misses her brother who earlier did not like to visit the national capital. NCP chief Ajit Pawar and his party leader Praful Patel arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Responding to a question on Ajit Pawar’s arrival in Delhi, Sharad Pawar’s daughter Sule said, “I only remember one Ajit Dada, who never liked to go to Delhi.” “I do not know why he has gone to Delhi because I have not been able to talk to him for months, so I will not be able to answer what is the reason for his going to Delhi?” the MP told reporters in Baramati on Tuesday. Ajit Pawar said on Tuesday that the seat sharing for the Maharashtra Assembly elections has almost been finalised among the ruling Mahayuti alliance led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Responding to a question on his absence from the meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena leaders in Mumbai on Monday, Ajit Pawar said, “There is no reason for me to be present in the meeting when some seats are to be decided between the BJP and Shiv Sena.” There has been no confirmation from any leader of the ruling coalition so far on the media reports that the BJP may contest 156 out of 288 seats, Shiv Sena 78 and NCP 54 seats.