Hinting at retirement from parliamentary politics, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said he will have to think about whether he should seek another Rajya Sabha term after his current tenure ends. Speaking at a campaign rally for grand-nephew Yugendra Pawar at Supa in Baramati assembly constituency in the district, the 83-year-old leader said he has to stop at some point and make way for the new leadership. He has won 14 elections during his political career, the veteran leader noted.
“With your support, I first went to the state assembly. I became a minister of state and (then) cabinet minister. I became chief minister four times.
I worked as defence minister at the Centre. Later I worked as agriculture minister for ten years, and today I am in the Rajya Sabha,” said Pawar. Some years ago, he decided not to contest Lok Sabha elections as he wanted to give the responsibility to a new leadership, he said.
“I decided that I will not be involved in the local politics here and gave all the responsibilities to Ajit dada (nephew Ajit Pawar). For the last 25-30 years, he had all the responsibilities. For the first 30 years, I was there, later Ajit dada was there for another 25 to 30 years and now there is a need to make arrangements for a new leadership,” he said.
The Nationalist Congress Party faction headed by Sharad Pawar has given ticket to Yugendra, who would be taking on his uncle and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Baramati in the November 20 Maharashtra asse.