New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended wishes to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on his 84th birthday and prayed for his long and healthy life.

“Birthday wishes to Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader Sharad Pawar Ji. I pray for his long and healthy life,” posted PM Modi on X.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge Extends His Wishes

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also wished NCP chief Sharad Pawar on X.

“Happy Birthday to Nationalist Congress (@NCPspeaks) Party President, Former Union Minister Sharad Pawar. Wish you good health and long life,” Kharge posted.

Meanwhile, posters, extending birthday greetings to NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar were put up outside his residence in Delhi.

Who Is Sharad Pawar?

Sharad Pawar, known to the masses as Saheb, was born on December 12, 1940. Hailing from a family in Baramati, Pune, Pawar started early in politics and became president of the State Youth Congress at 24 and a member of the State Cabinet 5 years later.

Pawar has been Chief Minister of Maharashtra for seven years out of his 32 years in politics. During these years, Maharashtra became and retained a position as the leading industrial state in the country and also a state with a very managed treasury.

Pawar has always stood for a society free of caste and communal biases. As Chief Minister he has consistently encouraged people of different communities, living in Maharashtra, to develop their special cultural and ethnic identity while contributing to the overall development of the state.

Pawar is an economic liberal and believes that only large-scale investment leading to rapid economic development and increased employment makes a country a real international power.

About The Split Of NCP

Last year in July, Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in his party, joined hands with the National Democratic Alliance and took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats. The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

The NCP’s ‘clock’ symbol is with the Ajit Pawar group, following a ruling by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in February, recognising it as the official NCP. On March 19, the top court allowed the Ajit Pawar faction to use the ‘clock’ symbol, with certain conditions, including that his party would issue a public declaration that the use of the ‘clock’ symbol for Lok Sabha and the Maharashtra Assembly Elections is sub-judice and subject to the outcome of the challenge made by the Sharad Pawar group to the decision of the ECI.

It had also asked the Ajit Pawar faction to not use the name and images of Sharad Pawar in its campaign materials. Following a rift between the Sharad Pawar and the Ajit Pawar factions of the NCP, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar’s party as the real NCP based on its legislative majority and allotted the ‘clock’ symbol to it. The top court had asked the Sharad Pawar faction to use the ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar’s name for upcoming elections and the “man-blowing turha” symbol.

Earlier, the apex court had directed that the Election Commission’s order of February 7 allotting ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue till further orders.

Violent protests took place for the second day in central Maharashtra’s Parbhani city on Wednesday over alleged vandalising of a replica of the Indian Constitution, police said.

Amid the bandh called by some organisations, a mob indulged in arson and police fired teargas shells in response, said a senior official.

The stone replica of the Constitution outside Parbhani railway station, set in front of a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar, was found to have been damaged on Tuesday, sparking protests.

Police arrested a man in connection with the incident, but protests resumed on Wednesday morning.

“Pipes outside a shop were set ablaze around 1 pm today. As the mob became violent, police fired tear gas shells and dispersed them,” said acting Superintendent of Police Yeshwant Kale.

The protesters were demanding that police should find who was behind Tuesday’s incident of vandalising, he told PTI.

Bandh was also observed in Vasmat area of the district, local police officials said.

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing investigation into the tragic Kurla BEST bus accident that claimed seven lives, a shocking video has surfaced showing a BEST bus driver allegedly purchasing liquor while on duty. The incident reportedly occurred in Andheri West’s Versova area and was captured on video.

Video Shows Driver Buying Liquor

The clip shared on X by a user named Raj Maji, shows the driver halting an air-conditioned BEST bus, route A-259, which operates between Gorai Depot and Andheri Railway Station, outside a liquor store. With passengers still aboard, the driver is seen exiting the vehicle, purchasing liquor and returning with it onto the bus.

Following the release of this video, MNS leader Sandesh Desai commented on the Kurla accident in another video, drawing comparisons to this recent footage. Desai questioned the authorities about the measures they would take against such reckless behaviour.

7 Killed In Horrific Kurla Accident

This video has emerged just two days after the horrific accident in Kurla on SG Barve Road, where a BEST bus plowed through a bustling market. The crash, which occurred on Monday night, resulted in seven fatalities and left several others injured. The bus rammed into multiple vehicles and crushed people in its path, causing widespread devastation and grief.

Accused Driver Was Drunk, Claim Eyewitnesses

Initial reports from the Kurla incident suggest that the driver, identified as 54-year-old Sanjay More, may have been intoxicated during the crash, according to an IANS report. Eyewitness accounts have also raised suspicions of alcohol influence. However, investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the tragedy, with authorities probing potential brake failure and human negligence.

Sanjay More, who operated the bus leased by the Kurla Bus Depot, was arrested and booked on charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He was produced in court on Tuesday, where he was remanded to police custody until December 21.