Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar met behind closed doors, know what was discussed

New Delhi: A day before was the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. On the birth anniversary of Bal Thackeray, both Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena factions organised separate programmes in Mumbai and demonstrated their strength. While the two components of the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Mahavikas Aghadi were busy strengthening their claim on the legacy of Bal Thackeray in Mumbai, on the same day, away from Mumbai, in Pune, one leader each from both the alliances were sitting together. Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar met in Pune on Thursday.

This meeting of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar took place behind closed doors. Many leaders including MLA Dilip Walse Patil were present during the meeting of the two leaders after the annual general meeting of Vasant Dada Sugar Institute. BMC elections are near and Ajit Pawar’s mother had also recently expressed her wish for the two parties to unite. Shiv Sena leaders had claimed a political earthquake in Maharashtra on Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary. In all these circumstances, a round of speculations has started regarding this meeting of NCP and NCP chief.

According to the news agency, Deputy CM of Maharashtra Government Ajit Pawar has said about the closed door meeting with Sharad Pawar that issues related to the sugar industry were discussed. Representatives of Agriculture, Excise, Cooperation and Energy Department were also present in this meeting, who are closely associated with the sugar industry. At the same time, NCP MLA Rohit Pawar has said that the two captains coming together for talks should be welcomed. BJP’s reaction has also come regarding this meeting.

Maharashtra BJP President and Minister in the state government Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said that we do not know whether the nature of this discussion was political or not. He also said that if this was a political discussion then Ajit Dada should have talked within the Mahayuti as well. The BJP state president also added that if this was a personal meeting then it is purely a family matter. Earlier, while addressing the general meeting of VSI, Sharad Pawar also announced to increase the prize money under two awards from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh on the suggestion of Ajit Pawar.

Sharad Pawar was seen coughing several times during his 18-minute long address. It is worth noting that Sharad Pawar is the chairman of VSI and Ajit Pawar is its trustee. This was the first time after the split in NCP about two years ago that both uncle and nephew attended the general meeting together.