Sandip Shashikant Kale, 32, said he is an NCP worker and a “big fan” of Pawar. He also heads the Saheb Foundation, named after Pawar, which does social work.
Pawar made the announcement at the launch of the second edition of his autobiography, Lok Majhe Sangati, at the Y B Chavan Centre in Mumbai, in the presence of his wife Pratibha, daughter Supriya Sule, nephew Ajit Pawar, and senior party leaders.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “He was popular even among rival parties of the BJP as the leaders felt a special bond with him because of his good nature and accessibility. He was a Brahmin face of the BJP but the 'Bahujan Samaj' accepted him as their own.”