Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, who is observed as the architect of the ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance in Maharashtra, turned 80 on Saturday.
Pawar, who was born on December 12, 1940, in Maharashtra’s Baramati, has a political profession spanning more than 50 years. In 1967, he was elected a member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Baramati constituency on a Congress ticket and has been in public service considering that then.
However, in 1999, he broke ties with Congress to type the Nationalist Congress Party. He had also served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and held various important ministerial portfolios at the Centre.
At present, the NCP chief is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Pawar has also been credited for stitching the alliance amongst 3 parties — Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP right after 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections to type the government in the state.
(With inputs from ANI)