Sharad Pawar-Ajit meet in Pune sparks unease among MVA allies

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), which normally defers to Sharad Pawar, slammed him in its mouthpiece Saamana, remarking that repeated meetings with his nephew were “tarnishing Sharad Pawar’s image” and creating confusion in the minds of the electorate.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) patriarch Sharad Pawar’s ‘clandestine’ meeting with his nephew, rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar in Pune has disconcerted his Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies — Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction and the Congress — even as Mr. Sharad Pawar on Monday reiterated there was “no confusion” regarding his NCP faction having any truck with the ruling BJP.

Even as Mr. Thackeray’s Sena (UBT) sharply criticised Mr. Sharad Pawar for his repeated meetings with his nephew — four in little over a month — who split the NCP on July 2, the octogenarian NCP chief maintained the opposition MVA coalition remained united.

“The parties which have come together as the MVA have done so on basis of a common objective [to defeat the BJP]. The MVA stands united and we will successfully organise the next meeting of opposition INDIA bloc in Mumbai that will take place on August 31 and September 1. Journalists must not create confusion by repeatedly asking me where I stand,” said Mr. Sharad Pawar, speaking to reporters in his political bastion of Baramati.

Also Read: Sharad Pawar on meeting with Ajit Pawar: ‘What is wrong with meeting my nephew?’

Mr. Ajit Pawar, who split his uncle’s party last month and aligned himself with the ruling BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena government, met with Mr. Sharad Pawar at the residence of a Pune businessman on Saturday evening. Senior NCP leader Jayant Patil, a known Sharad Pawar loyalist, was also present.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), which normally defers to Mr. Sharad Pawar, slammed the NCP chief in its mouthpiece Saamana, remarking that repeated meetings with his nephew were “tarnishing Sharad Pawar’s image” and creating confusion in the minds of the electorate.

Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut, known for his affinity to Mr. Pawar, strongly criticised the latter remarking how would the Sena (UBT) cadre feel if his party’s top leaders had daily tea meetings with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the rival Sena faction.