"No real issues left": Ajit Pawar slams opposition over controversy on India-Pakistan cricket match row

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], August 23 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday slammed the opposition over its remarks on the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket match in the Asia Cup tournament.
While speaking to reporters in Pune on Saturday, Ajit Pawar said, "Today the Opposition has no genuine issues left, so they keep raising one or the other matter. Earlier, they had raised the issue of vote chori (vote theft), which had no factual basis. We have been in politics for 35 years, and such a thing is simply not possible, at least not in Maharashtra."
"There are two sides. One section believes there should be no relations with Pakistan, either trade or sports, because it keeps sponsoring terrorism and creating disturbances. On the other hand, there are people who are passionate about cricket. When India plays Pakistan, everything else is left aside, and people watch the match. So both perspectives exist," he added.
Criticising the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the scheduled India-Pakistan cricket match in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday said the board should not concentrate only on money, but also care about the sentiments of the Indian people.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray also accused the BCCI of promoting "fake nationalism" by scheduling a match with Pakistan amid heightened tensions.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has also criticised BCCI for announcing the Indian squad for the Asia Cup Cricket 2025, which includes a clash against Pakistan, despite the neighbouring country's withdrawal from the upcoming Hockey Asia Cup hosted in India.

While Pakistan Hockey team snubbed the Asia Cup Hockey matches hosted in India.
Our BCCI is super keen to keep the cricket match between the two going by announcing the India Team for Asia Cricket Cup.

Can’t imagine the betrayal the families of those who lost their loved ones in… pic.twitter.com/P6RVWkSAGj

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) August 19, 2025

Taking a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut without naming him, Pawar remarked, "It is only one person who comments every morning at 9 o'clock, and the media also gives publicity to such things. Instead, we should focus on real issues, such as youth, farmers, traffic, and many other challenges."
Deputy CM also pointed out that clarifications had already been issued in the vote theft row, and even those who had initially made allegations later admitted their mistake.
"A fake narrative was deliberately created. But when the Opposition wins, everything is considered fine. Look at West Bengal, Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Opposition parties have won there. Even in the recent Lok Sabha polls, they won 31 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. Was the voter list wrong then? Was there theft then? My clear opinion is, when you lose, you should accept your defeat," he said. (ANI)