Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday did a complete U-turn on his claims that industrialist Gautam Adani was present at the key discussions about government formation in the state involving top BJP and NCP leaders 5 years ago.
In a recent interview, Pawar said that Adani was not present at the meeting which took place at the industrialist's guest house. "In state government formation, there is no role of an industrialist. Sometimes we are so busy, and by mistake, I made a statement," he said in an interview with newswire ANI.
When asked was he pressurised to give such a statement, he said that he does not come under pressure.
Pawar said during an interview with The News Minute-Newslaundry that top leaders of the BJP and the then undivided NCP including Amit Shah, Devendra Fadnavis, Praful Patel and Sharad Pawar were present at the meeting apart from him.
Ajit also mentioned that his actions were taken with full knowledge and consent of Sharad Pawar. Further, he asserted in this interview that as a loyal party worker, he acted in accordance with his leader's directions.
When asked why Pawar Sr did not go ahead with Ajit's rebellion, he said: "Pawar Saheb is a leader whose mind no one in the world can read. Not even our aunty (Sharad Pawar's wife Pratibha) or our Supriya Sule."
Almost two days after Ajit's interview went viral, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said in an interview with The News Minute-Newslaundry that Gautam Adani was a part of the talks between the BJP and the NCP that took place in 2019. Pawar Sr said that the meeting took place at Adani's New Delhi residence.
He said that even though the industrialist hosted the dinner, the latter kept away from the political discussions. The talks took place before Ajit Pawar swore in as the Deputy CM with Fadnavis as the CM to form a government that lasted only 80 hours.
He also claimed that many leaders who faced cases from central agencies told him that they were assured the cases would go away if they joined hands with the BJP.
The veteran politician, however, was not convinced but his colleagues asked "why not hear it from the horse's mouth" and that is why Pawar attended the dinner with Shah in attendance.