NCP chief Ajit Pawar
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Rattled by allegations that he had visited New Delhi in disguise and with assumed names to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah before joining the BJP-led Maha Yuti government, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar said that if the accusation are proved true, he would quit politics.
“These are all baseless,” said Pawar, who had rebelled against his mentor and uncle Sharad Pawar to change sides from opposition to treasury benches.
“I don't have the habit of doing politics by hiding anything,” he said.
NCP (SP) Working President and Baramati MP Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut had made the allegations against Pawar and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that before splitting the NCP and Shiv Sena, respectively, they used to visit New Delhi in disguise and assumed names to meet Shah to hold secret meetings.
“Some people have made allegations that I used to wear a mask and a cap during air travel while going to New Delhi and that I had changed my name as well….such reports are being spread by our opponents with fake narratives,” he said.
“If I want to go anywhere, I will go openly. There is no need for me to be afraid of anyone. If the reports of disguise are proven, I will quit politics,” he said.
“I have been in politics for around four decades…everyone knows me…(then) I was the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly…such a thing is not possible,” he said.