Mumbai / Abhi toh main jawan hoon: Sharad Pawar at election rally

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar, aged 80, on Wednesday said that ‘Abhi toh main jawan hoon‘ (I am still young).

Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly election 2019, the NCP leader has embarked on a tour in the state and is said to be the sole opposition leader to be campaigning for the upcoming polls on October 21.

A party leader, speaking at the rally in Kolhapur before Pawar, mentioned that the latter is crisscrossing the state for campaigning “at this age”.

To which, Pawar later said in a speech, “Somebody said I am campaigning at this age. I am the president of your party. Don’t say it again. Have I become old?”

“They say I am 80 years old. Do you think I am old? I won’t sit quiet until the Sena-BJP government is removed in this state. And for that ‘Abhi toh main jawan hoon. Koi chinta karne ki kaaran nahi hai (I am still young. No one needs to worry),” he added.

In the run-up to the state polls, where the NCP and its ally Congress face an uphill challenge of dislodging BJP- Shiv Sena from power, both opposition parties have seen many leaders deserting.

Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and the results will come out on October 24.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Wednesday said they would “permanently retire” NCP chief Sharad Pawar from his social and political life after the results of the October 21 assembly elections are out.

Addressing a poll rally for Shiv Sena candidate Prakash Abitkar in Radhanagari tehsil in Kolhapur district, Patil also took potshots at Pawar’s party, which is hit by defections.

“We will retire Sharad Pawar permanently from social and political life after results of assembly elections are out,” he said.