Sharad Pawar backstabbed Congress, can't be Shivsainik's guru: Anant Geete
Anant Geete, a former Union minister, further said the MVA government, comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress, was just an adjustment.
Amid repeated reports of rumblings within the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a senior leader of the Shiv Sena has hit out at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar calling him a backstabber who cannot be a “guru” for his party’s functionaries. Anant Geete, a former Union minister, further said the MVA government, comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress, was just an adjustment.
According to a report by PTI, Geete said Pawar had "backstabbed" the Congress to form his party and cannot be a "guru" for Shivsainiks, a place reserved for the late Balasaheb Thackeray.
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Pawar is considered the architect of the Sena-led MVA government which came to power in 2019 after the Sena parted ways with its decades-old partner BJP over power-sharing issues.
Addressing a rally in his home turf Raigad on Monday, Geete said, “Sharad Pawar cannot ever be our leader as this government (MVA) is merely an adjustment. Let people use as many accolades for Pawar but our 'guru' is only (late) Balasaheb Thackeray. As long as this government is functioning, it will go on… If we separate, our home is Shiv Sena and we will always stick with our party.”
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While stating that he did not harbour any "ill-intention" towards the Sena-headed government and wanted it to succeed, the former MP from Raigad, “If the Congress and NCP cannot become one, the Shiv Sena also cannot toe the Congress policy entirely. The Congress and NCP were not always cordial either.”
The NCP was formed on May 25, 1999, by Pawar, PA Sangma and Tariq Anwar after they were expelled from the Indian National Congress for disputing the right of Italy-born Sonia Gandhi to lead the party. The NCP later became a part of the Congress-led UPA governments at the Centre in which Pawar served as agriculture minister.
In Maharashtra, the Congress and NCP shared power till 2014 when the Aghadi government was defeated by the BJP.
(With agency inputs)
