Ajit Pawar claims that Sharad Pawar is a bigger leader than Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee or Arvind Kejriwal

NCP chief Sharad Pawar is a bigger leader than Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and others, senior party leader Ajit Pawar said on Wednesday, the remark coming two days ahead of the meeting of Opposition parties in Patna.

Speaking at the 24th Foundation Day event of the Nationalist Congress Party in Mumbai, Ajit Pawar also underlined the need for introspection and change, if needed.

"If (West Bengal chief minister) Mamata Banerjee, (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal, (AP CM) Jagan Mohan Reddy, N Chandrababu Naidu (of TDP), K Chandrasekhar Rao and Nitish Kumar can win their respective states on their own.....Sharad Pawar is a bigger leader than all of them. Why cannot NCP work towards this goal (to win Maharashtra on its strength)," he asked.

He said introspection is necessary, and if needed, change has to be brought about.

Notably, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is a constituent of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), also comprising the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena and Congress.

The mega meeting of the 17 opposition parties is scheduled to take place in Patna on June 23.