Pawar should take lead in resolving farmers' stir: Athawale

Their agitation is being usedfor politics, he said.The government has already assured thefarmers aboutmaking appropriate changes in these laws, the minister said,adding that complete rollback of these legislations was notcorrect.Apparently referring to the farmers rally to be heldin Mumbai on Monday, he said, Sharad Pawar and CM UddhavThackeray will be going to support the farmers agitation.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale onSunday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar should take initiative inresolving the ongoing farmers' agitation against the Centre'sthree new agriculture laws.

He also urged Maharashtra Chief Minister UddhavThackeray to form a new government in the state by forging analliance with Shiv Sena's former ally BJP, and suggested thatthe two parties should share the top post.

The Sena currently rules the state with NCP andCongress as its partners, while the BJP is in the opposition.

The Sena had parted ways with the BJP following the 2019 stateAssembly election results after differences cropped up oversharing the chief minister's post.

Talking to reporters here, Athawale said, ''Seniorleader and former agricultureministerSharad Pawar shouldtake initiative in resolving the farmers' agitation.'' ''The Supreme Court has already put a stay on theimplementation of the three farm laws. But the farmers arecontinuingwith their protest. Their agitation is being usedfor politics,'' he said.

''The government has already assured thefarmers aboutmaking appropriate changes in these laws,'' the minister said,adding that complete rollback of these legislations was notcorrect.

Apparently referring to the farmers' rally to be heldin Mumbai on Monday, he said, ''Sharad Pawar and CM UddhavThackeray will be going to support the farmers' agitation. Butin my opinion, they should support the agriculture laws.'' Speaking on the unveiling of Shiv Sena founder BalThackeray's statue in Mumbai on Saturday, Athawale said in alighter vein, ''It seems the statue is telling Uddhav Thackeraythat his decision to form the government with NCP and Congresswas wrong and he should join hands with the BJP and RPI.'' ''The alliance partners in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)government have differences over issues like renamingAurangabad as Sambhajinagar and the Congress may pull backfrom the government.

''Therefore, I would like to appeal to Uddhav Thackerayto forge an alliance with BJP and RPI to form a newgovernment. He can continue to be the chief minister for sometime and then (BJP leader) Devendra Fadanvis should take overfor the remaining period,'' he said.