Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had on Sunday reportedly held a ‘lengthy secret’ meet with his estranged nephew and now deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar. On Monday, Maha Vikas Agadhi(MVA) member Uddhav Thackeray noted that ‘frequent meetings’ between the Pawar duo is tarnishing the image of Sharad Pawar.
The unpredictable developments in the partisan politics scenario on Maharashtra has heightened the probability of trouble in the already tumultuous political scenario of the state, that began with Eknath Shinde’s rebellion in 2022, leading to the downfall of the then incumbent Uddhav Thackeray government.
News of Ajit Pawar faction NCP members meeting Sharad Pawar had been in limelight for a few weeks. Reports citing people familiar with the developments have noted that probably Ajit Pawar is trying to convince Sharad pawar to join that Shiv Sena- BJP alliance government in the state. The latest development was Ajit himself meeting uncle Sharad Pawar, following which the latter Pawar noted that he ‘would never join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’.
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s demurral over Pawar meets
On Monday, an editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said, “It is “amusing” to see Ajit Pawar is frequently meeting (his uncle) Sharad Pawar and the latter is also not avoiding it”.
“There is a hunch that BJP’s ‘Chanakya’ is trying to create some confusion by sending Ajit to meet senior Pawar. However, such meetings tarnish the image of Sharad Pawar and it is not good,” it said.
“We would like to add to it by saying Ajit Pawar’s decision to join hands with the BJP in the Maharashtra government has made the biggest fun of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde‘s faction,” the editorial added.
Sharad Pawar says ‘nothing wrong’, refutes claim of ‘confusion’
Sharad Pawar and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is part of the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra and heads the group of rebel NCP MLAs, held a ‘secret’ meeting at the residence of a businessman in Pune. The meeting caused a flutter.
Sharad Pawar, whose NCP is an ally of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress in the state, on Sunday said his party will not go with the BJP though some “well-wishers” are trying to persuade him. He also said there was nothing wrong if his nephew Ajit Pawar meets him.
Sharad Pawar on Monday said there is no confusion within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance over his meeting with nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Pune. “The MVA is united and we will successfully organise the next meeting of opposition bloc INDIA in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1,” news agency PTI quoted senior Pawar.
INDIA bloc meet in Mumbai
Now that the Monsoon session of the Parliament is over, the Opposition bloc is concentrating on their strategy meet scheduled to be held in Maharashtra’s capital city Mumbai.
The 26-party Opposition alliance, which has been formed to jointly take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year, is scheduled to meet in Mumbai on 31 August 31 and 1 September. The bloc has already met twice in less than one month – first in Patna on 23 June and then in Bengaluru on 17-18 July
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
Updated: 14 Aug 2023, 02:52 PM IST