Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena (UBT) upset over Pawar sharing dais with PM Modi 

Remarking that people were “uneasy in their minds” about Mr. Pawar’s decision, Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “While we cannot advise Sharad Pawar, people are uneasy with his decision.

After the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction has now expressed reservations about Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar sharing the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an award function in Pune on August 1, stating that it created confusion among the public when Opposition leaders attended such events.

The Congress, the Sena (UBT) and Mr. Pawar’s NCP faction are allies in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra. Mr. Pawar’s decision to attend the event as chief guest where Mr. Modi will be conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National award has sparked discomfort within the regional MVA Opposition as well as the national-level INDIA coalition of opposition parties.

Remarking that people were “uneasy in their minds” about Mr. Pawar’s decision, Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “While we cannot advise Sharad Pawar, people are uneasy with his decision. The dissatisfaction among the public today is palpable because of the politics that has been played by the BJP in Maharashtra and the country in the past few years. So, there will be confusion among the people when leaders from the Opposition MVA or INDIA coalition attend such functions.”

Mr. Raut, known for his affinity to the NCP chief, said it was up to Mr. Pawar to dispel this confusion regarding his stance.

“However, there are no doubts about the firmness of either the MVA in Maharashtra or the INDIA coalition at the national level,” said the Sena (UBT) leader, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Arvind Sawant, Lok Sabha member from the Sena (UBT), said Mr. Pawar ought to reconsider his decision to attend the event.

Remarking that Bal Gangadhar ‘Lokmanya’ Tilak had given the slogan “Swaraj (self-rule) is my birthright”, Mr. Sawant, in a jibe at Mr. Modi and the ruling BJP, questioned whether there was any Swaraj today?