NCP MLAs had urged Sharad Pawar to join Mahayuti govt when Thackeray-led MVA was collapsing: Ajit Pawar

We are in power that is why we could do so many developmental works that are in the interest of people. Without elaborating, he said there was a stay on the developmental works of MLAs and pressure on us to get that stay lifted, but we never succumbed to pressure.It was the Narendra Modi government that waived the income tax on FRP paid by sugar mills to farmers.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday claimed ''almost all MLAs'' of NCP had written to Sharad Pawar demanding the party join ''Mahayuti'' (NDA) government when the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation was on its way out.

Thackeray's Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena, collapsed in June last year after Eknath Shinde rebelled.

The rebellion played out between June 21 last year, when several MLAs left for Surat in Gujarat and onwards to Assam, and culminated on June 30 when Shinde became chief minister with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

''When the Uddhav Thackeray's government was about to collapse, almost all NCP MLAs had written a letter to the party chief (Sharad Pawar) asking him to join the Mahayuti government (by supporting the BJP),'' Ajit Pawar said at a rally in Kolhapur.

''If it (what he has said) is wrong, then I will retire from active politics immediately. If my claim is right, then those spreading lies should retire,'' he said.

Ajit Pawar, who joined the Shinde government along with eight MLAs on July 2 this year, said ''Just about anybody is now standing up and speaking against us''.

''We respect that in a democracy people have the right to express dissent. We are in power to solve the issues of people,'' he claimed.

On the issue of Maratha reservations, he said several people from the community were rich but many were poor and needed help.

He said the quota granted to the community when Devendra Fadnavis was in power (between 2014 and 2019) was upheld by the High Court but was set aside by the Supreme Court.

''When giving reservations to the Maratha community, it must be ensured that Other Backward Classes are not affected. Only discussions and meetings will solve this dilemma,'' he said.

The issue of the Maratha quota took centre stage in the state on September 1 after agitators faced police action in Jalna district.

Police lathi-charged a group protesting for quota in Antarwali Sarati village when they refused to let authorities admit Manoj Jarange, who is on hunger strike, in hospital.

The resulting violence led to injuries to several people, including 40 policemen, while 15 state transport buses were set ablaze.

Listing out several developmental projects that are nearing completion, Ajit Pawar said, "We have come to power to do people's work like this. People should know about it. We are in power that is why we could do so many developmental works that are in the interest of people." Without elaborating, he said there was a ''stay'' on the developmental works of MLAs and pressure on us to get that stay lifted, but we never succumbed to pressure.

''It was the Narendra Modi government that waived the income tax on FRP paid by sugar mills to farmers. The income tax claim was nearly Rs 10,000 crore which would have broken the industry. If someone is protecting the farmers' interest, then why should we not support the government?" he asked.

Ajit Pawar said a demand has been raised with the Modi government for 50 per cent reservation to women in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections. ''That way, women will get more chance in policy-making," he added.

Speaking on local issues, the deputy CM said Kolhapur must build an Information Technology sector like Hyderabad.

Farmers in some districts have not got cash benefit transfers under various schemes so far and the state government will take measures to rectify the situation, he added.

Before heading to Kolhapur, Ajit Pawar attended a roadshow in Pune.