NCP’s stand is clear over CAA, NPR; will convince Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray: Sharad Pawar

Amid the simmering tension between Shiv Sena and NCP over the implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Population Register (NPR) in Maharashtra, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday (February 18) said that his party's stand is clear on these matters and he will try to convince Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray too. Notably, CM Thackeray had said on Tuesday that no one should be worried about the CAA and NPR.

Pawar stressed that the NCP's had voted against the CAA in the Parliament and Shiv Sena chief was entitled to his view. The NCP boss, however, remarked that the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress could discuss the issue.

“Whatever Uddhav Thackeray said, that is his view. He is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he has his own views. Yes, in Maharashtra we are in a coalition government and opinion and views of the parties on certain issues may differ, but we can sit and discuss on it as far as CAA is concerned,” Pawar said.

He added that the three alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi will soon discuss the matter and try to convince CM Thackeray about it.

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“We have the experience of running a coalition government at the Centre during the UPA regime. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had 29 parties. In fact, we had the Left front parties too with us which always had different views, but we managed to go along with them,” Pawar added.

Meanwhile, though CM Thackeray supported the implementation of CAA, he made it clear that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be implemented in the state. “CAA and NRC both are different and NPR is different. No one has to worry if CAA gets implemented. NRC is not there and will not be implemented in the state,” Thackeray said.