On PM Modi event eve, Sharad Pawar refuses to meet opposition netas | India News – Times of India

PUNE: Leaders of Congress and other opposition parties said Monday they tried meeting Sharad Pawar “but did not get an appointment” to dissuade the NCP chief from sharing the dais with PM Narendra Modi at a Tilak award event in Pune on Tuesday.

Pawar’s supporters confirmed that he would attend the ceremony where PM Modi would be conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award. Pawar arrived in Pune from Delhi late Sunday.
“A delegation of opposition leaders was planning to meet Pawar but he reached Pune. Therefore, we could not meet him. We tried on Monday too, but did not get an appointment,” Maharashtra Congress vice-president Mohan Joshi told TOI.

Prashant Jagtap, the Pune president of NCP’s Pawar camp, said “no meeting was held” with opposition leaders “as it was not in the schedule”.
Earlier in the day, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Pawar is “such an experienced leader, we don’t need to tell him”, but added it was up to the NCP veteran “to clear the confusion on his stand”.
A senior NCP leader from the Pawar camp indicated little likelihood of a change of mind. “Since it is a non-political event, he might have decided to attend it but our party workers will protest against the PM on streets,” the leader said.
The protests will be part of a larger opposition exercise, also including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and some social activists under the banner of the INDIA alliance in front of the Tilak statue outside the Mahatma Phule Mandai venue when Modi will arrive there.
“Instead of speaking about the Manipur violence in Parliament or visiting the state, the PM is busy visiting other states. It shows he is not serious about the disturbance in Manipur. Since he is visiting Pune, we have decided to show black flags to him. Our protest will be in a democratic manner and we have taken police permission,” said Congress leader Joshi.