KOLHAPUR: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut did not know

what
he (Pawar) had done to groom leaders, and moreover leadership was an internal matter of the NCP. A
recent editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece, Saamna, stated that Pawar "has failed to groom the
leadership to take on NCP's mantle after him. Speaking in Satara, Pawar said: "We don't make public
what we have done to build leadership. We do not advertise. Therefore, if someone criticises us, we
ignore them. We don't give importance to what he has written. We know better what we do. Whatever
happens in the party is our internal matter. We will continue our work, let him write whatever he
wants." Pawar also said NCP was contesting Karnataka assembly election as the party wanted an 'entry'
into Karnataka politics and fielding candidates is the first step to achieve that goal. Recently, former
Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, a senior Congress leader, had said that NCP is the 'B party
of BJP' and had alleged that NCP contesting Karnataka election would help BJP. "We have fielded
candidates at nine seats across Karnataka. The candidates are from different social backgrounds. Since
we wanted to start from scratch, we did not enter into an alliance with Congress. Our presence will not
hurt Congress. We have taken all care that our candidates will not impact the poll outcome for Congress
in Karnataka," said Pawar. He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra would yield results
in favour of non-BJP parties. Responding to Chavan's allegations, Pawar said, "He should first check
whether he is A, B, C or D in his party. If you ask his partymen, they will tell you in private about
Chavan's position. I will not make it public." Congress state president Nana Patole responded to Pawar's
claim. While speaking at Satara, Patole said, "Prithviraj Chavan is number one in the party. He will
always be number one leader of Congress. Prithviraj Chavan was and will remain our leader. Prithviraj
Chavan has the ability to fight against BJP's dictatorship. We are proud of it." Patole further said that if
Chavan raises similar issue of Pawar's position in his party then "it will create another question mark
before all of us." Shinde following BJP's orders, says NCP chief Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde
was seen campaigning for BJP candidates in Karnataka. Pawar said, "Shinde is CM because of the mercy
of BJP MLAs. He has to obey BJP's order."