Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar are expected to share the stage at an event in Pune on August 1. This comes after a faction of the NCP joined forces with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra. During the event, PM Modi will be conferred with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award for 2023 in recognition of his leadership and efforts to instill a sense of patriotism among citizens.
The Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust, which is organizing the event, announced that both the Prime Minister’s Office and Sharad Pawar have accepted the invitation. The award ceremony will take place on the 103rd death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak. Sharad Pawar has been invited as the chief guest for the program.
Interestingly, Sharad Pawar personally called PM Modi to extend the invitation, despite recent political tensions between their parties. Pawar clarified that his opposition to Modi is political, not personal. The trust sent an official invitation to the Prime Minister’s Office, which accepted it in principle, while Pawar was requested to confirm Modi’s presence.
The event holds significance in political circles as it marks the first time Modi and Pawar will appear on the same platform since the recent political developments in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, along with eight other NCP leaders, took oath as ministers in the BJP-Shiv Sena government.
The award ceremony is a non-political function organized by the trust, which has previously honored eminent personalities from various sectors. Previous recipients of the Lokmanya Tilak National Award include former Prime Ministers, business leaders, scientists, and innovators.
All eyes will be on the program as political observers keenly watch the interaction between Modi and Pawar, considering the recent political developments and their shared history of sharing the stage on multiple occasions.
Sources By Agencies
