Mumbai: Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar has
said not staking claim on chief minister's post after the 2004
Maharashtra Assembly polls was the party's "biggest mistake".
"State NCP leaders should had convinced leaders in
Delhi...Not staking claim on the CM's post despite having
more legislators than Congress (in 2004 Maharashtra Assembly
polls) was a big mistake," Ajit Pawar, nephew of party chief
Sharad Pawar, and also state energy and irrigation minister,
told a Marathi newspaper here.
"It was decided in the (Congress-NCP) alliance that the
CM's post would go to the party which would get more
legislators. NCP got 71 and Congress 69. NCP should have got
CM's post, respecting public mandate.
"However, state leaders are to blame for losing the
chance to have a CM from NCP. We should had convinced Delhi
leaders to get the CM's post for the party," 51-year-old Ajit
said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 18:18