AIMIM will not last long in Maharashtra politics: Sharad Pawar

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Monday termed the performance of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen in Aurangabad municipal corporation election as just a fluke, and said that parties like AIMIM do not last long.

"Parties like AIMIM do not last long (electorally) and may be out of the (political) arena within a year or two," Pawar said responding to a query on the performance of the Hyderabad-based party in the civic polls held last month.
Though the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance retained the civic body, the Assaduddin Owaisi-led party registered an impressive performance by winning 25 seats in its maiden outing.

Taking a swipe at Shiv Sena and AIMIM, Pawar said the current political situation in the state was helping only these parties and not the common man. Referring to the agrarian crisis in the state, the former Union minister said the government should waive loans of farmers as their situation has turned "grim" due to crop loss.

Pawar termed as "personal opinion" his party MLA Jitendra Awhad's statement questioning the credentials of veteran historian Babasaheb Purandare who was conferred with Maharashtra Bhushan award. He also took a dig at the Narendra Modi government over hike in prices of petrol and diesel, saying it seems "achhe din (good days) have come."