File picture of NCP (SCP) leader Jayant Patil.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Pune:

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Friday sought to downplay his closed-door meeting with estranged nephew and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Pune, and asserted no issue related to their respective parties was discussed.

Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur city, the former Union agriculture minister insisted discussion at the meeting solely centred around a sugar industry project.

Asked about the possibility of rival NCP factions, headed by him and Ajit Pawar, coming together and if this issue was touched up in the meeting, the veteran politician asserted no party-related matter was discussed.

“In the meeting, Ajit Pawar, myself and people associated with the (sugar industry) project were present,” he said.

The two politicians were in Pune to attend the annual general body meeting of the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI), which is headed by the senior Pawar.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is a member of the Pune-based VSI, a prominent research institute of the sugar industry, and attended its annual general body meeting for the first time since the July 2023 split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

During the AGM, Ajit Pawar sat at an arm’s length from his uncle, who heads the opposition NCP (SP). While the two were supposed to sit next to each other as per the initial arrangement, the deputy CM, who leads the ruling NCP, moved his nameplate one chair away, allowing Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil to sit between them.

Asked about the change in the seating arrangement, Sharad Pawar clarified Babasaheb Patil wanted to speak about certain things during the event and that is why he (state minister) sat next to him (senior Pawar).

A similar explanation was given by the junior Pawar.

“Babasaheb wanted to speak to Pawar saheb. I can speak to him (Sharad Pawar) anytime. Even if I sat one chair away, my voice is loud enough for someone further away to hear,” the deputy CM explained on Thursday when asked about the seat rearrangement.

At the VSI event, Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) state unit president Jayant Patil, both political rivals, were also seen discussing something.

The NCP suffered a split in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar broke away from his uncle and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government headed by then-Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Pouring cold water on speculation that his party has softened its stance towards the BJP, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar has hit out at Amit Shah and accused him of not maintaining the decorum of the Home Minister’s post. The senior leader was reacting to Mr Shah’s remarks that the BJP’s thumping victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections had ended the politics of “treachery and betrayal” started by him in 1978.

Mr Shah’s attack, seen as a reference to Mr Pawar walking out of the then Vasantdada Patil-led government in Maharashtra in 1978 with 40 MLAs and then becoming the chief minister, was made while he was addressing a state BJP convention in Shirdi on Sunday.

Hitting back on Tuesday, Mr Pawar said, “I was the chief minister in 1978. I am not aware of his (Amit Shah’s) whereabouts then. When I was the chief minister, there were people like Uttamrao Patil from (BJP’s predecessor) Jana Sangh in my ministry.”

Pointing out that there used to be good communication between political leaders earlier and that then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made him the vice-chairman of the Disaster Management Authority after the Bhuj earthquake in 2001 despite him being in the opposition, the NCP (SP) chief said that the decorum of the post of Home Minister should be maintained.

“There used to be ‘susamvaad’ (good communication) between political leaders earlier, but that is missing now,” he said.

In his speech at the BJP convention, Mr Shah had said, “The victory of BJP in Maharashtra ended the politics of instability and backstabbing started by Sharad Pawar in 1978. You (BJP workers) have buried such politics 20 feet in the ground.”

“From 1978 till 2024, Maharashtra was prone to political instability. You have shown the way by bringing in a stable and strong Devendra Fadnavis government,” he added.

In the Maharashtra elections, held in November last year, the BJP had won 132 of the state’s 288 seats and its Mahayuti allies, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, had bagged 57 and 41, respectively.

The opposition alliance, the Maha Vikas Aghadi – consisting of the Congress, Udhhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) – was routed, winning just 46 seats in all. With just 10 constituencies, Sharad Pawar’s party had finished at the bottom of the table in the alliance.

(With PTI inputs)

Mumbai:

INDIA bloc is only for national elections, said Sharad Pawar today amid reports that everything is not alright between the constituents of the opposition alliance. 

The statement holds significance as it echoed the statement of Sanjay Raut of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) who recently said that the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances – comprising Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) – were only meant for Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Sharad Pawar said, “There has never been any talk regarding state and local elections in the INDIA alliance,” adding in the same breath, “Everyone will meet and decide on this (local body elections) in the next 10 days”.

Earlier today, Mr Raut, while saying that it was difficult to form an an alliance in the local body elections, expressed confidence in the survival of the INDIA bloc and called on Congress as the “larger partner” in the alliance, to take responsibility for maintaining unity among the opposition parties.

“In Delhi, the Congress and AAP think that they are big powers… In Maharashtra also we have said that the local body elections are of the workers. It is difficult to form an alliance there, but our alliance will be intact in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Maharashtra). Being the bigger party in the alliance, it is the responsibility of Congress to keep us together,” Mr Raut added.

He also said that there was nothing wrong in contesting elections against allies and cited the example of the Delhi assembly elections where the AAP and Congress are competing against each other.

When Sharad Pawar was asked about the AAP vs Congress contest in Delhi, he said that the “INDIA bloc was meant only for national elections”. “Delhi is (Arvind) Kejriwal’s base. The people of Delhi have given the majority to his party twice in the elections and that is why it would have been good if we could have done something by taking them into confidence,” he added..

The AAP and Congress’ Delhi election decision came months after they fought the Lok Sabha elections together. Their Lok Sabha poll effort ended in a debacle as the BJP won all seven seats.

Earlier, NCP (SP) working president and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule said the parties always contested local bodies solo.

“Local bodies’ elections are of the party workers. If we contest these polls as per our convenience what should the cadre do; only lift mattresses of leaders?” she asked.

The Congress, meanwhile, has said the party’s central leadership will decide on whether it will contest solo or otherwise in the local body polls, the schedule of which is yet to be declared.

The remarks by the senior leaders come amid buzz that the Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have softened their stance towards the BJP in recent days.

Mr Pawar, however, dismissed the speculation and said, “Not even a single MP of my party wants to go with BJP.” His statement came almost at the same time an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana described Amit Shah’s recent remarks on Mr Thackeray as “language of arrogance”.

In a poll rally, Mr Shah had said that the people of Maharashtra taught a lesson to Uddhav Thackeray for his “betrayal politics”.

In the recently held assembly polls, the ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won 230 of the state’s 288 seats, shrinking MVA’s tally to 46 seats, with Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) each contributing 20, 16 and 10 seats, respectively.

A month after BJP’s big win in Maharashtra polls, Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday claimed that his party’s win ended the politics of betrayal and treachery started by veteran leader Sharad Pawar in 1978.

“The victory (of BJP) in Maharashtra ended the politics of instability and backstabbing started by Sharad Pawar in 1978. You have buried such politics 20-foot in the ground,” said Mr Shah, addressing a state BJP convention in Shirdi.

In 1978, Sharad Pawar, who later founded Nationalist Congress Party, walked out of the Vasantdada Patil government with 40 MLAs and became the Chief Minister. Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, split the party in 2023 and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government, in which the BJP was also a partner. 

The BJP emerged the single largest party in 2024 state polls, winning 132 seats, which is also its highest seat tally in the state. 

“From 1978 till 2024, Maharashtra was prone to political instability. You have shown the way by bringing in a stable and strong Devendra Fadnavis government,” stressed Mr Shah. 

#WATCH | Maharashtra: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, “… The victory (of BJP) in Maharashtra ended the politics of instability and backstabbing started by Sharad Pawar in 1978. Uddhav Thackeray betrayed us, he left the ideology of Balasaheb in 2019. Today you have shown him… pic.twitter.com/BzACZ9bOSJ

— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2025

The Shiv Sena (undivided) and the BJP contested the 2019 assembly polls together, but Uddhav Thackeray ended the alliance over the Chief Minister’s post. The BJP has repeatedly mocked him over the move.

“Uddhav Thackeray betrayed us. He left the ideology of Balasaheb in 2019. Today you have shown him his place. He became Chief Minister by treachery,” said the Home Minister.

Mr Shah credited the BJP’s big win in the state to “Hindutva aur Modi ji ki vikas ki rajneeti  (Modiji’s politics of development).”

Calling BJP workers the real architects of the party’s victory in the state, Mr Shah said, “You are the facilitator of the party’s victory from panchayat to Parliament. You have to make BJP invincible so that no one dares to betray it again.”

Noting that the BJP’s victory in Maharashtra will have long-term consequences, Mr Shah said the historic win shattered the confidence of the opposition bloc INDIA, which has over two dozen parties.

“Our opponents were waiting that after Lok Sabha results, they will win in Maharashtra. You all have done the work of shattering these dreams of theirs,” said Mr Shah.

The Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won over 230 of the state’s 288 assembly seats, while opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena faction and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction could win only 46 seats.

Political turbulence in Maharashtra continues unabated, even after the assembly elections. Speculation is rife that eight MPs and ten MLAs from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, are poised to join Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s faction. Reports suggest these legislators are in close contact with Ajit Pawar’s group and may announce their decision soon. There’s also talk of a potential reconciliation between the two factions of the NCP.

There are whispers that Sharad Pawar himself may join the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra and align with the NDA government at the Centre. Efforts to resolve strained relationships at multiple levels seem to be underway to facilitate this transition.

Never one to shy away from a political challenge, Sharad Pawar, who has been grappling with isolation and a diminishing power base alongside his daughter, Supriya Sule, appears to be exploring new permutations to strike the best possible deal. As the saying goes, in politics, anything is possible.

However, predicting Sharad Pawar’s moves is no easy task. Political observers warn that any forecast about his next steps is fraught with risk.

Factors Driving a Reunion

The push for reconciliation began with a plea from Ajit Pawar’s mother, who urged the entire Pawar clan to come together following the assembly elections. This appeal was followed by encouraging signals from key stakeholders.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, state BJP chief and considered close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, recently stated that the BJP has no objection to a Sharad-Ajit reunion. Similarly, Ajit Pawar’s close ally, Praful Patel, has expressed support for the idea.

The possibility of a rapprochement gained further traction after the UBT-led Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his work in Naxal-affected Gadchiroli. Sharad Pawar’s NCP has also been warming up to Fadnavis.

The buzz intensified when Baramati MP and NCP leader Supriya Sule praised Chief Minister Fadnavis, who recently assumed office.

“The only person who is working very hard is Devendra Fadnavis; no one else is visible. Devendra ji is focused and working in mission mode, which is a good thing. We wish him all the best,” Sule said.

Despite these overtures, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has not officially confirmed any move toward reconciliation.

“Some MPs and MLAs feel that being in the opposition will hinder development work in their constituencies over the next five years. Without access to government funds, they may struggle to deliver results. This has fuelled discussions about aligning with Ajit Pawar,” said Amol Matele, state spokesperson and Youth Mumbai President of the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP.

Sources suggest groundwork for the reunion is already underway, with discussions taking place in Mumbai and Delhi to finalize the alliance. The primary sticking point remains Sharad Pawar’s concerns about securing a ministerial position at the Centre for his daughter.

Weighing the Possibilities

The leadership question within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra has been resolved following Ajit Pawar’s success in the assembly elections. Ajit Pawar has emerged as the de facto leader, a status cemented by his decision to ally with the NDA and the Mahayuti coalition.

With Ajit Pawar’s faction already recognized as the “real” NCP by the Election Commission of India, Sharad Pawar appears to be strategizing for an image-saving compromise. The Sharad Pawar faction (NCP-SP) also seems open to the delineated roles of Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar in a possible reunited party.

“When the NCP was united, Supriya Sule was focused on national politics in the Lok Sabha, while Ajit Pawar handled key decisions in Maharashtra. Party workers are well aware of this dynamic. The idea that there is political competition between Sule and Ajit Pawar is a manufactured narrative with no basis,” says Amol Matele.

If the NCP(SP) MPs were to join the NDA, it would bolster the NDA’s strength in both Houses of Parliament.

Analyzing the unfolding political developments, senior journalist and commentator Rohit Chandavarkar observes: “Those familiar with Sharad Pawar believe he is unlikely to officially or openly align with the NDA or the BJP-led alliance for two reasons. Firstly, he has consistently upheld a left-of-center ideology. In every rally, he reiterates his commitment to the principles of Mahatma Phule, Chhatrapati Sahu, and Dr. Ambedkar. It’s unlikely he will abandon this path at the age of 84. Secondly, Sharad Pawar has confided to close associates that the BJP has a history of not sustaining alliances with its partners. Look at what happened with the Akali Dal and Uddhav Thackeray. Pawar fears that aligning with the BJP would jeopardize long-term prospects for his daughter Supriya Sule and other NCP leaders, as the BJP tends to dominate and sideline its allies.”

Meanwhile, leaders from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)-comprising the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP-have dismissed the rumours, asserting that Sharad Pawar remains committed to the alliance. Any rapprochement with the BJP or NDA would be detrimental to the MVA in Maharashtra and the INDIA bloc at the national level.

Yet, given Sharad Pawar’s political style, few are willing to predict his next move. “Currently, Sharad Pawar has limited options for continuing as an independent political force in Maharashtra. But, as always with Pawar, nothing can be predicted with certainty,” Chandavarkar concludes.

(The author is Contributing Editor, NDTV)

Pune:

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and disgruntled NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday shared a stage in Pune to mark the birth anniversary of legendary educationist and social reformer Savitribai Phule.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhujbal said many were “surprised” at the two sharing a stage but asserted “we will always come together for great personalities like Mahatma Phule, Shahu Maharaj and Babasaheb Ambedkar”.

The Nationalist Congress Party split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar, Bhujbal and several others joined the Eknath Shinde government.

The NCP name and ‘clock’ symbol was given to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar, while the one under Sharad Pawar was christened NCP (SP). The two parties have been bitter rivals since.

Bhujbal has been upset with his party, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, after he was not included in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet. In the days following the swearing-in ceremony on December 15, Bhujbal had lashed out at the deputy CM over his non-inclusion.

Speaking at the event organised at Chakan’s Krushi Utpann Bazaar Samiti (APMC), NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar slammed the Union government for imposing duty on onion exports, which was greatly distressing farmers.

“Long ago, Mahatma Phule had spoken about the pain of these farmers. The Central government should follow the example of Mahatma Phule while taking decisions concerning farmers,” the former Union agriculture minister said.

Heaping praise on Mahatma Phule, Pawar said the social reformer promoted science and technology during his time and was a successful contractor who supplied building material for construction projects of the British government, including Pune’s Khadakwasla dam.

Bhujbal said the organisers took the right decision to invite Pawar as the process to build a grand memorial for Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule started when the latter was chief minister.

“Many are surprised that Pawar saheb and I have come together on one stage. I want to tell you, be it Mahatma Phule or Shahu Maharaj, Babasaheb Ambedkar or other great reformers, we will always come together for all these great people,” Bhujbhal asserted.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Asha-tai Pawar, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s mother, on Wednesday said she prayed to Lord Vitthal that her son and his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar should come together again.

Asha-tai visited the famous Vitthal and Rukmini temple at Pandharpur in the morning.

Talking to reporters outside the temple, she said, “I prayed that all the grievances within the Pawar family should end, and Ajit and Sharad Pawar come together again. I hope my prayers will be granted.” Her remarks came amid speculation that efforts to bring the rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party together were underway after the Maharashtra assembly elections.

Ajit Pawar, who started out in politics as his uncle’s protege, parted ways with him after more than three decades by splitting the party and joining the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state in July 2023.

In the legal battle that followed, Ajit Pawar secured the Nationalist Congress Party’s electoral symbol. His party also outperformed the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections.

Asked about Asha-tai’s remarks, Praful Patel, a senior leader of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, said, “Sharad Pawar has always been like a father to us. We even met him last month to wish him happy birthday, but it was not a political meeting.

“Although we have taken a different political stand, we have always respected Sharad Pawar greatly,” Patel told reporters in Gadchiroli.

“If the Pawar family reunites, we would be very happy….I consider myself a part of the Pawar family,” he added.

He also said that “a reunion would not bring any disrespect to anyone.” Elsewhere, another NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Narhari Zirwal said he was too junior to speak on such matters, but a reunion would benefit party workers like him.

“We feel distressed (due to the split in the NCP), as we hold Sharad Pawar in great respect,” he added. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, weeks after the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was trounced in the assembly elections in Maharashtra by the BJP-led MahaYuti.

Mr Pawar met the Prime Minister in his office in Parliament along with two farmers from Phaltan in western Maharashtra and presented him a box of pomegranates from their farm.

Recently, Mr Pawar had written to the Prime Minister, inviting him to inaugurate the 98th Marathi Sahitya Sammelan scheduled to be held at Talkatora Stadium in the national capital in February.

“I did not broach the topic of Sahitya Sammelan,” Mr Pawar said after the meeting with the Prime Minister.

In the Maharashtra assembly elections last month, the Congress-NCP(SP)-Shiv Sena(UBT) alliance — MVA — faced a humiliating defeat at the hands of BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP’s MahaYuti alliance.

The MahaYuti won 235 seats, while the MVA was restricted to 46 in the 288-member assembly. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Opposition INDIA bloc plans to go to the Supreme Court, alleging manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines during the recent assembly election in Maharashtra. The decision was made at a meeting this evening between veteran political leader Sharad Pawar and Delhi’s former Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal. 

The Opposition, including Mr Pawar’s party, has sustained heavy losses in Maharashtra and with the approaching assembly election in Delhi the need was felt for some advance planning in this regard, sources indicated. 

Mr Kejriwal’s AAP has swept the last two assembly elections in Delhi, but this time, the BJP is hoping for better performance in view of the corruption allegations against the leaders of the ruling party including Mr Kejriwal.

The decision today was announced by Prashant Jagtap, leader of the NCP-Sharad Pawar who lost the assembly elections from the Hadapsar seat in Pune.

The Supreme Court, though, has been solidly backing the Electronic Voting Machines and upheld their sanctity in several judgments. 

During a recent hearing, the judges had even slammed petitioners over their tampering allegations, asking if “EVMs are not tampered when you win?”

“EVMs offer significant advantages. They have effectively eliminated booth capturing by restricting the rate of vote casting to four votes per minute, thereby prolonging the time needed and thus checking insertion of bogus votes,” the court had said during a hearing earlier this year. 

EVMs have also eliminated invalid votes, which were a major issue with paper ballots and had often sparked disputes during the counting process, the court said.

The Election Commission has rejected Opposition allegations saying it has found “no mismatch” between the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with their corresponding EVM numbers.

Noted lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi was present at the meeting. Also present were a group pf leaders belonging to Mr Pawar’s party who had lost the election.

The INDIA bloc has claimed that it lost the elections in Maharashtra due to manipulation of EVMs in favour of the BJP-led ruling coalition Mahayuti.

In the elections held last month, the BJP-led coalition won 235 of the 288 assembly seats. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, upbeat after the Lok Sabha results, could only pick up 46.