Pune:

MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Friday said that “despite being with” NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar all these years, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar never indulged in caste politics.

Mr Thackeray, whose party is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections but supporting the ruling coalition of the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, was speaking at a campaign rally here.

“I may have had many differences with Ajit Pawar, but I can say one thing: he never indulged in caste politics. Despite being with Sharad Pawar, I have not seen him indulging in caste politics ever,” said Mr Thackeray, praising Ajit and at the same time taking potshots at Pawar senior.

The “venom” of caste politics started spreading in Maharashtra since 1999, the MNS chief said, in apparent reference to Sharad Pawar forming the Nationalist Congress Party in that year after leaving Congress.

Raj Thackeray had accused the senior Pawar of playing the caste card and dividing society in the past too.

The MNS chief highlighted the issues faced by the cities in terms of basic amenities, and said if there was no proper management, they would collapse.

“In order to divert attention from these issues, some leaders are involving you in caste (politics). I had on numerous occasions urged you to free yourself of caste politics. Think about yourself and your life,” he said to the gathering.

He also claimed that ‘fatwas’ were being issued from mosques to vote for Congress. “Today, I issue a `fatwa’ to vote for the candidates of BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Shiv Sena,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)