“Not me atleast…” NCP Chief Sharad Pawar on party’s CM face

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], August 23 (ANI): Putting an end to speculations about the Chief Ministerial face from the Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar on Friday said that the party has not projected anyone yet as the CM face.

Addressing a Press conference in Pune, Pawar said, “As far as my party is concerned, no one from my party is interested. We are not projecting anyone (as the CM face). We just want change in the government here as we want to give good governance to the state. So, who will or will not be the CM is not a question for me. It will not be me at least.”

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that the party chief Uddhav Thackeray never said that he would become the Chief Minister and if the Congress or NCP (SCP) has any face, then Uddhav is ready to lend support.

Talking to the media at the Nagpur airport, Raut said, “Uddhav Thackeray does not need to come forward, he did not come forward even in 2019, everyone together made him CM. Now talking about 2024, Uddhav Thackeray never said that I would become CM, listen to yesterday’s speech. If Congress NCP has any face then bring it forward, Uddhav Thackeray is ready to support that face, but Uddhav Thackeray is in the hearts of the people of Maharashtra.”

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Friday said that the high demand for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir is the primary reason for not holding elections in Maharashtra.

On being asked about Assembly Elections in Maharashtra, the Chief Election Commissioner said, “Last time, Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections were held together. At that time, J-K was not a factor but this time there are 4 elections this year and 5th election immediately after this, which is to start with J-K, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi. Depending on the requirement of forces, we have decided to conduct 2 elections together. We cannot announce another election in the middle of the Jammu and Kashmir elections,” Kumar said.

The Lok Sabha polls 2024 have given a boost to the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) winning seven seats, the Congress 13, and the NCP-SP one, taking the total tally of 17 for the alliance.