Sharad Pawar begins preparing for assembly polls

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has started preparations for the Vidhan Sabha elections, to be held in the state after a few months. He has convened a meeting of party leaders and office bearers in Mumbai on May 4.

According to NCP sources, the strategy for the Vidhan Sabha polls is likely to be discussed in the meeting. A review of the LS polls will also be carried out, as the party has summoned its candidates who contested the polls.

“We have received reports that the party has done remarkably well in the recently held LS polls in the state. We are hopeful that our seats will increase in the Lok Sabha. On this backdrop, we do not want to lose the momentum. Hence, we have decided to concentrate on the Vidhan Sabha polls,” said a party insider.

Soon after voting for the LS polls in the state ended, Mr Pawar embarked on a tour of the drought-affected areas of Solapur and Osmanabad – two of the worst hit districts. The NCP chief also met farmers in their fields and interacted with them. Mr Pawar demanded that the state government relax the condition of accommodating only five cattle per day in cattle camps and expressed concern over insufficient government support to farmers.

“In some talukas, such as Murbad and Ambernath in Thane district, there were complaints against state authorities that they did not sanction tankers to provide drinking water in the villages in the name of the model code of conduct.  Despite that, the taluka and district administration has been denying supply of water tankers and commissioning of fodder camps in these areas,” said Mr Pawar.

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