Ajit Pawar retracts claim of Gautam Adani’s presence in 2019 BJP-NCP talks
‘In state government formation, there is no role of an industrialist...Sometimes we are so busy, and by mistake, I made a statement,’ the deputy CM claimed.
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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in an interview to ANI on Friday, retracted his statement from two days ago that industrialist Gautam Adani was present at key meetings regarding government formation in Maharashtra after state Assembly elections in 2019.
“In state government formation, there is no role of an industrialist,” said Ajit Pawar. “Sometimes we are so busy, and by mistake, I made a statement.”
Ajit Pawar had earlier told The News Minute-Newslaundry that top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including Amit Shah and Devendra Fadnavis, and the undivided Nationalist Congress Party, including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, were at the meetings along with Adani.
On Friday, the deputy chief minister stated that Adani did not attend the meetings, though they were held at the businessman’s guest house. When asked if he had been pressured to clarify his earlier statement, Ajit Pawar said he does not succumb to pressure.
He also noted that his actions, of allying with the BJP at the time, had his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar’s knowledge and approval. Ajit Pawar said he had acted as a loyal party member.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis claimed in an interview to The Hindu on Friday that the 2019 meeting referred to by Ajit Pawar had taken place, but not at Adani’s residence.
Fadnavis said: “There was a meeting...
