Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday dismissed the ongoing controversy surrounding the Koregaon Park land scam involving his son Parth Pawar, calling the allegations politically motivated and part of a recurring pattern during election season.
“Whenever elections begin, a series of allegations start against us. This has happened before as well, but nothing ever came out of them—only defamation,” said Pawar.
‘Never Done Anything Unethical’
Clarifying his position on the issue, Pawar said, “I have never done anything wrong in my life. No one should use my name to exert pressure on anyone. I have never done anything unethical, nor will I ever do so in the future.”
He further remarked, “Some incidents occurred recently, and investigations are underway. Within a month, the facts will come out. Even I was surprised to see how documents were prepared without paying a single rupee. The truth will soon be revealed.”
‘Stop Targeting Baramati’
Expressing displeasure over what he called repeated attempts to drag Baramati and his family into controversies, Pawar said, “We must respect the Constitution. If something is wrong, we can discuss it, but dragging Baramati’s name into politics every time is not right.”
Focus on Elections and Party Discipline
On election preparations, Pawar said his attention was divided between Baramati and the entire state of Maharashtra.
“From Monday to Friday, we reviewed the state’s situation and also assessed Baramati. Traditionally, elections in Baramati were fought under the alliance banner, but once I became active, I decided we should contest in the party’s name. This ensures action can be taken in case of anti-party activities,” he explained.
Municipal Elections After Nine Years
Pawar noted that after nine years, 288 municipal council and panchayat elections will be held across Maharashtra.
“I am keeping a close watch on Baramati as well as the rest of the state. My goal is to transform the city within the next five years that is my responsibility,” he stated.
Strict Guidelines for Candidate Selection
Outlining his approach to candidate selection, Pawar said, “Those who wish to contest on my side should not submit nomination forms until Wednesday. I will personally conduct interviews on Thursday morning, and later that day, we will hold a meeting to decide the direction of our campaign.”
