Contest election before saying I fled field: Pawar to Uddhav

Nationalist Congress Party supremo, while addressing a rally in Mancha, dared Shiv Sena chief on contesting elections by saying that even a small wrestler can defeat him in the field of election.

Pune:Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar on Thursday dared Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to contest an election and said even a small "wrestler" from the NCP can beat him in the electoral arena.

Pawar was addressing a rally at Manchar in support of NCP's candidate from Shirur Lok Sabha constituency Dr Amol Kolhe.

Thackeray had mocked at Pawar, who had earlier announced that he would contest the election from Madha, but later withdrew.

"He (Uddhav) said that Sharad Pawar left the field...I have contested and won 14 elections, so when I decided that as I am nearing 80 I should stop and the new generation should come forward, these people are saying I left the field," he said.

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"I request him to take the field at least once.... forget me, even a small wrestler of mine (NCP) can beat you," he said, using a sports analogy.

While Bal Thackeray built the Shiv Sena from scratch, Uddhav, his son, inherited it without doing anything, the NCP chief said.

Before the 2014 polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised farm loan waiver, Pawar said.

"After five years, what happens to all these promises?...whose loans have been waived?" he asked.