NCP crisis blows over, Ajit Pawar says sorry

Mumbai : Indicating that the 24-hour long crisis which gripped the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has blown over, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday expressed regrets over abruptly quitting as Baramati MLA on Friday, without consulting either the family or the party.

"I am sorry... I did not take my family (Sharad Pawar and others) into confidence. I was extremely disturbed over the Enforcement Directorate dragging the name of Sharad Pawar into the MSCB matter.

I apologise to all the party workers for my sudden decision," an emotional Ajit Pawar said at a crowded media conference here.

He added that he was contemplating quitting as MLA for the past few days and had even called up Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade to enquire when he would be available in Mumbai.

"Yesterday evening at around 5.30 pm, I went and submitted my resignation to his private secretary and then called up the Speaker.

I did not give him any reason for my decision," said Ajit Pawar.

He reiterated his uncle and NCP President Sharad Pawar's statement that he (Pawar Senior) was not on the board of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) in which the alleged Rs 25,000 crore scam took place.

"Sharad Pawar is being unnecessarily harassed at an advanced stage... I have been very upset by all this. Since the past few days, the Pawar family has been singularly targeted without any basis," Ajit Pawar said.

Earlier on Saturday, the uncle-nephew duo had a private family meeting at Sharad Pawar's residence and as per his advice, Ajit Pawar addressed the media where he was flanked by the entire NCP top brass, indicating the storm within the party over his resignation had subsided.