Pune: Expressing his strong objection, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday condemened the “derogatory” words allegedly used by farmer leader Sadabhau Khot at a rally at Jat in Sangli district where Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was present on the stage.

Khot was addressing an election rally for BJP candidate Gopichand Padalkar in Jat when he allegedly made the statement. “Pawar saheb says he wants to change the face Maharashtra. What face? You want to make the face of Maharashtra like yours?” he allegedly said.

“We strongly condemn the language used by Khot during his speech against veteran leader Sharad Pawar. His remarks are inappropriate and wrong. The use of such language against a senior leader is not acceptable to me. This is not Maharashtra’s culture. On behalf of NCP and individually, I strongly condemn the remarks of Khot. In future, we will not tolerate use of such kind of language against Sharad Pawar,” Ajit Pawar said in a statement released late evening.