In a significant development that might send shockwaves through the Opposition bloc, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar on Tuesday shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function in Pune, Maharashtra.
The event was organised by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust, where PM Modi was honoured with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award.
PM Modi, while addressing the crowd at the event, said that he was honoured to receive an award named after Lokmanya Tilak, a prominent figure in the freedom struggle. Prime Minister further announced that he would be donating the prize money of Rs 1 lakh to the Namami Range project.
At the event, Sharad Pawar gave a speech in which he took an indirect dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that "Shivaji Maharaj never snatched anyone's land".
"Lokmanya Tilak wanted to get complete freedom for the country and he spent his early days in Pune. To be independent from the British, Tilak knew he needed to unite the masses. He became a journalist and then had Kesari and Maratha weekly newspapers and fought against the British. Tilak used to say there shouldn't be any pressure on journalism and journalists shouldn't be pressured," Sharad Pawar added.
This comes just days after 26 parties announced the formation of the INDIA alliance, aimed at taking on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming national election next year. The alliance has previously held meetings in Patna and Bengaluru.
Alongside PM Modi and Sharad Pawar, other prominent figures present on the stage included Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his Deputy Devendra Fadnavis, and Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, who recently broke away from the NCP and joined forces with the BJP.
During the event, Pawar lauded the contributions of Lokmanya Tilak, emphasising his dedication to securing complete freedom for the country during the British colonial era. He highlighted Tilak's belief in the importance of a united and independent press, free from external pressures.
Notably, this marks the first time in seven years that PM Modi and Sharad Pawar have appeared together on a stage. Despite calls from his allies, the Congress and Shiv Sena, to refrain from attending the function, Pawar defended his presence, citing a prior invitation extended to PM Modi several months ago.
The situation had become complicated for Pawar and his party after the shocking split within the NCP and his nephew's defection to the BJP, facilitated by PM Modi's party. However, Pawar's decision to attend the function alongside the Prime Minister reflects the complexity of political dynamics and alliances in the lead-up to the crucial national election in 2024.