Parties abandoning ideologies, poaching leaders through money, muscle and fear: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, expressed concerns about the erosion of ideological commitment in politics, alleging rampant party-hopping and tactics used to expand political ranks. He stated that leaders are being lured or coerced into switching sides through inducements, pressure regarding pending inquiries, and the use of money and muscle power. Pawar also criticized local leadership for failing to address issues in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, leading to a "crisis" despite significant spending over recent years.