Don’t rest till defeat of BJP government at Centre — Pawar

NEW DELHI — NCP president Sharad Pawar on Friday urged like-minded opposition parties that have come together to provide an alternative to the BJP-led NDA, not to rest till the incumbent government at the Centre is defeated.

Addressing a gathering at Mangalwedha town in Solapur district, Pawar accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of remembering Lord Ram only during elections.

“Like-minded parties, which have come together to provide an alternative, should not rest till the last day of elections and till the incumbent government, which is misusing power to target political opponents, is brought down,” the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder said.

He said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP and Congress, is talking to the Left parties and Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) to stitch up an alliance for the upcoming polls.

Talking about the Ayodhya Ram temple, the former Union minister said he has received an invitation for the Lord Ram idol consecration ceremony, but it (invitation card) shows only specific political party and organisation are the highlights of the event.

He said he would visit Ayodhya to offer prayers to Lord Ram once the construction of the temple gets over.

“Lord Ram belongs to the entire country and not a political party,” he said.

Pawar said it was former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, who ordered the opening of the Ram Janmabhoomi and performed ‘shilanyas’ (foundation stone laying) of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

As previous speakers at the event referred to his age during their speeches, the 84-year-old leader said, “What is in the age? What is important is ideology.”