Pawar frowns at Cong ahead of seat-sharing

Rakes up cross-voting in MLC polls to put MVA ally on the defensive

- Rohit Chandavarkar

NCP founder Sharad Pawar criticised the Mahayuti government, and especially Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, on Wednesday alleging that the government did not take any assistance from the opposition in the initial stages of the Maratha agitation and now, is suddenly holding the opposition responsible for the tension in various parts of the state. Sharad Pawar was speaking to the media in Pune and also openly targeted the Congress party, explaining how there was cross-voting in the recent MLC polls and how his party was disappointed to see Congress votes getting split. This is the first time Sharad Pawar has openly spoken about his disappointment with his alliance partners post-Lok Sabha polls and observers feel this was done so to put the state Congress leadership on the defensive ahead of seat-sharing talks for the assembly polls.