Despite acrimonious NCP split, Pawar clan attend event together

Pawar family comes together in Baramati for first time since split. Sharad Pawar lauds Ajit Pawar's leadership of PDEA. Anantrao Pawar English Medium School inaugurated in memory of Ajit's father. Despite tension, Sharad Pawar recalls Anantrao's contribution to his success in 1967. Family insists politics and personal relations are separate. Diwali gathering at Govind Baug likely.

Members of the Pawar family on Sunday came together publicly for a programme in Pune’s Baramati taluk for the first time after current Deputy CM and rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar split the NCP which is led by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

The 82-year-old Sharad Pawar was present alongside his nephew and daughter, NCP MP from Baramati, Supriya Sule. Also present were other members of the Pawar family.

The occasion was the inauguration of the Anantrao Pawar English Medium School in Daund (which is part of Baramati), named in memory of Ajit Pawar’s late father, Anantrao Pawar, who was Mr. Sharad Pawar’s older brother.

Mr. Pawar cut the ribbon to open the school. Ajit Pawar conspicuously avoided speaking to his uncle, though he was seen talking with his cousin Supriya Sule.

Also Read | NCP split is due to ideological differences, has nothing to do with Pawar family, says Supriya Sule

Despite the tension between uncle and nephew, Mr. Sharad Pawar lauded the management of Ajit Pawar’s Pune District Education Association (PDEA) in his speech.

“Under Ajit’s leadership, the Pune Zilla Shikshan Sansthan (PDEA) has emerged as an exemplary educational body. One lakh students are learning there,” said the NCP patriarch, while listing the achievements of the educational bodies chaired by him, his daughter Supriya and his nephew Ajit.