Once the party president`s trusted aide and now a renegade, Cooperation Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Monday said he never meant to criticise Sharad Pawar. In Pune on Sunday, Walse-Patil said the NCP boss had never been given a majority to install his own chief minister although he was considered one of the towering leaders in national politics.

‘But, I’m not wrong’

Patil, who joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government under the leadership of Ajit Pawar in July, insisted that he was not wrong, because he had made a similar observation at (unified) party meetings and conventions. Walse-Patil`s clarifications came following backlash from the rival camp. Even the Ajit-led group had taken a breather, considering the ill-effects of Sharad Pawar’s criticism.

“I have not criticised Pawar saheb. And I have not said anything wrong. I can never use bad language against Pawar saheb. I express regrets for the misunderstanding (caused by my statements),” he said a day after stoking controversy during his address to the party workers in Pune on Sunday. “In my speech, I talked about how the people of Maharashtra have not strongly supported the leader who has put in 40-50 years of his life in their service,” Walse-Patil said.

If Mamata, Mayawati can…’

Walse-Patil had also mentioned West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Bahujan Samaj Party president and former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati, whose regional parties had grown phenomenally while the NCP had a limited influence.

He had said, “We say that the country has no leader taller than Pawar saheb and on the other hand, the people of Maharashtra have never given him a majority. Pawar saheb couldn`t be the CM on his own, whereas Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati made it. Despite having a leader like Sharad Pawar, only 60-70 MLAs are elected… In Maharashtra, we have to ally with other parties…but it is the people who decide (the win), we don`t. What happens in other states doesn`t happen here, why?”

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He’s ungrateful: Awhad

The Ambegaon MLA`s remark drew sharp reactions from the Sharad Pawar-camp, including Anil Deshmukh, Jitendra Ahwad and Ambadas Danve. Party workers also staged a protest in Mumbai.

He was called out for betraying the octogenarian`s affection of 40 years. Walse-Patil, the son of a former MLA, had worked as a personal assistant to Pawar, who groomed him to be a trusted lieutenant, minister and Assembly speaker.

Awhad said he felt sad about Walse-Patil`s moral decline. “He was the most trusted man of Pawar saheb. But, he turned out to be ungrateful. The second-rung leaders who Saheb mentored have sold their loyalty for power,” he added.

Walse-Patil could not even get a candidate in the neighbouring constituency elected, Awhad said. “I feel bad about Saheb who has given so much. Maharashtra will not forget and forgive,” he added.

Asking Walse-Patil to mind his language, Deshmukh said, “The people of his district will teach him a lesson.” He added that no political party was in a position to make a government on its own in the state.

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