“It is often remarked that I am very close to Mr. Modi. But when it comes to issues of national importance, I've never indulged in politics or considered whether the Prime Minister is from the opposition.”

Indian politician

Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar is an Indian politician, a long-serving public figure in Maharashtra, and a member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 2014. He is known for his long career in state and national politics, including multiple terms as Chief Minister of Maharashtra and leadership roles in the Union government. Pawar has been part of several coalition governments and political alliances in Maharashtra. He founded the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999 after splitting from the Indian National Congress, and later led the Sharadchandra Pawar faction after the 2023 split in the NCP. He also served as Minister of Defence under P. V. Narasimha Rao and as Minister of Agriculture under Manmohan Singh.