Pawar wanted to join NDA: Uddhav

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackarey along with former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi, BJP leader Vinod Tawde and Shiv Sena central Mumbai candidate Rahul Shewale during a meeting in Mumbai on Friday.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed that Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar had tried to join the NDA but the plan failed because he and other allies in Maharashtra opposed it.

The NCP is a key constituent of the UPA.

‘We opposed his entry’

“Mr. Pawar was keen on joining the NDA. However, Gopinath Munde, Ramdas Athavale, Raju Shetti and I staunchly opposed it. His dream ended before the elections,” Mr. Thackeray said in an interview to the party mouthpiece

Saamna on Monday.

The Shiv Sena is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in the State in alliance with the BJP, the Republican Party of India and the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna.

Mr. Thackeray said he would not allow Mr. Pawar to “force his way” into the NDA.

However, Mr. Pawar termed Mr. Thackeray’s statement “irresponsible.”