"I Have Not Left My Ideologies": Ajit Pawar's NCP Demands Caste Census

Ajit Pawar said he has "not left his ideologies" after joining hands with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has said in its manifesto that it supports the demand for a caste-based census, an issue pushed by rival Congress and side-stepped by NCP's ally BJP. "Our party believes in the right to live as a human irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It believes in equality and unity. The NCP has faith in social reformer Sane Guruji's quote, 'The true religion is to offer love to the world.' We must bring the deprived and backward sections of society into the mainstream. We will demand for a caste-based census," the manifesto states.

Ajit Pawar, who led a mutiny against his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar and effected a split in the party, said he has "not left his ideologies" after joining hands with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. "I want to say again, though I am part of Mahayuti [alliance of BJP, Sena and NCP], I have not left my ideologies. We are committed to it and are working accordingly," the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister has said.

In a promise more aligned to his ally BJP, the NCP has said it believes in "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas".