On the eve of the opposition meet in Bengaluru and the monsoon session of the Maharashtra assembly, ten top leaders of the NCP arrived unannounced at Sharad Pawar’s office on Sunday afternoon, catching everyone by surprise. Among them were Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and senior leader Praful Patel.
The meeting sparked speculation in Maharashtra politics, since it occurred just days after Ajit Pawar declared himself the national president of the NCP, instead of Sharad Pawar.
“We sought his blessings and asked for his guidance to keep the party united, but he did not say anything,” Praful Patel told the media immediately after the meeting.
“We didn’t have any idea that this would happen. All nine ministers and Prafulbhai were in a meeting at Devgiri (Ajit Pawar’s bungalow). They suddenly got up and left in three cars, leaving behind their security and staff,” an NCP leader who was present at the bungalow said.
Sources present at the meeting revealed that the ministers apologised to Sharad Pawar, without specifying any reason for the alleged apology. However, Pawar remained silent throughout the interaction.
“Now that even surveys show public support is behind Sharad Pawar, they are scared. They want to create confusion in people’s minds. This is a desperate attempt, but it will not succeed. It was gracious of Pawar saaheb to agree to meet them, but he didn’t utter a word,” sources close to Sharad Pawar said. They further claimed that it could also be an attempt to sow discord regarding opposition unity.
The opposition meeting is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18.
NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto in a tweet said, “Breakaway NCP group suddenly remembered Sharad Pawar Saheb after witnessing the overwhelming support he is receiving from people of Maharashtra. Today’s visit was a failed attempt to show people that they’re still in touch. These optics cannot alter the undeniable truth.”
Later, he told reporters, “We are unaware of what was discussed in the meeting. Sharad Pawar always meets with everyone… They (Ajit Pawar faction ministers) now feel that what they did was wrong and the public does not approve of it, so they are attempting to show that they are still with Sharad Pawar… Nothing can change now. What they did was wrong.”
Even though there were no answers as to why Sharad Pawar did not decline to meet the unannounced visitors, NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase in a tweet stated: “Those who came down on their knees in front of Pawar saaheb today, are the same people who had told Election Commission on June 30 that he isn’t the National president. Maharashtra will never forget this.”
There was no tweet or statement from Sharad Pawar regarding the visit.
Meanwhile, the monsoon session of the Maharashtra assembly is set to begin on July 17. There is still no clarity regarding the seating arrangement, even as the Sharad Pawar group asserted today that they enjoy the support of 19-20 MLAs.
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