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PUNE — Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Sunday said action would be taken against those NCP leaders who violated the party line and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra.
It was not the party's decision to go with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government, he clarified.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]Putting up a brave front after his nephew's stunning rebellion, the 82-year-old veteran leader said that Sunday's development could be new for others, but not for him.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the party, founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar 24 years ago, to become the deputy chief minister, while eight senior leaders of the party took oath as ministers.
Sharad Pawar, while speaking to reporters here, said that from Monday, he would start reaching out to people to build the party afresh.
The party's top office-bearers, including its state unit president and the national committee, will deliberate and take action against the colleagues who violated the party line, he said.
"For us, one thing is important now that the state unit chief of the party and the party's national committee, those party colleagues who joined the government...it was not the party's stand," he said.
"So those who violated the party line, the party will decide about action against them. There is a process for that. The action will be taken as per that process and it will be initiated," Pawar added.
The former Union minister made it clear that the party will not fight the battle legally, and he would instead go to the people and seek their support.
Asked whether the current development has split his house, he answered in the negative.
"This is not about the question of a house. Such things happen in politics, and it has to be dealt with politically," he said.
About the future of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP and Congress, Pawar said that all three constituents have decided to continue working together in future.
Pawar said he would be participating in the upcoming meeting of opposition parties at the national level.
He said he would start visiting different parts of the state from Monday to seek people's support.
"Tomorrow, I will go to Karad and take darshan at Yashwanrao Chavan's memorial," he said.
Pawar said he does not have issues if someone claims ownership over the NCP.
"We will go to people and seek their support. I am confident they will support us," he said.
Pawar said recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi levelled allegations against the NCP saying that the party indulged in corruption.
"I am happy today that he gave cabinet berths to some colleagues from the NCP. It shows that the allegations against corruption were not factual. He has exonerated the party and all those against whom he had levelled allegations and I am thankful to the PM for this," he said.
He said some party leaders were nervous about probes by the Enforcement Directorate and named Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif.
"Today's episode may be new for others, but not for me," he said.
Pawar said he was not bothered that people have left, but he was worried about their future.