‘I myself didn’t stop at 85’: Sharad Pawar says he can’t ask PM Narendra Modi to step down at 75; hails Rahul Gandhi for EC presser

KOLHAPUR: NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said he has no moral authority to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step down now that he has turned 75.“I myself didn’t stop; I am now 85, and I have continued for the last 10 years,” Pawar said, responding to questions on the stepping down of Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi when they turned 75.

Pawar added, “Some people (Mohan Bhagwat) have clarified that he (or RSS) never said nor discussed this thing. Why should we insist on them? They say that they haven’t said it, but we know you published it, we read it. It’s okay now.”The NCP(SP) chief also recalled his own 75th birthday, saying, “When I turned 75, I invited Modi. He didn’t say anything political; why should I make a political statement on his 75th birthday? Instead, I wished him well for whatever good he wants to do for the country.”On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi‘s press conference regarding voter name deletion, Pawar said, “The leader of opposition has clearly exposed the Election Commission of India. He exposed it. If ECI’s decisions create doubts, then it is its responsibility to clear the doubts. If it continues to be untrustworthy, then I don’t know for how long the country will keep quiet. The people will take a call in elections. Also, you can see what is happening in neighboring countries.”