'Don't know what is in his mind': Ajit camp after 2nd meet with Sharad Pawar

Jul 17, 2023 03:17 PM IST

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Maharashtra deputy Ajit Pawar and other NCP leaders met party president Sharad Pawar at his Mumbai office for the second consecutive day.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar along with other NCP leaders from his faction arrived at Mumbai's YB Chavan Centre for the second consecutive day to meet party president Sharad Pawar in what is seen as an attempt to keep the party united.

Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar and other ministers addressing to media after meeting NCP leader Sharad Pawar at Y B Chavan, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, July 16, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times)

After the meeting, rebel NCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel said the party MLAs came to seek the blessings of Sharad Pawar.

“We again requested him to keep the party united,” he told reporters. “He heard what we wanted to say. He didn't respond. I don't know what is in his mind.”

On Sunday, NCP leaders of Ajit Pawar's faction arrived at YB Chavan Centre for an unscheduled meeting with Sharad Pawar, the first one after Pawar junior rebelled against his uncle and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on July 2. Besides Ajit Pawar and NCP Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel, ministers Hasan Mushrif, Chhagan Bhujbal, Aditi Tatkare, and Dilip Walse Patil met the Pawar senior in south Mumbai.

Praful Patel said the NCP chief listened to them quietly but didn't give any reaction.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, NCP's Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel, who belongs to the Ajit Pawar camp, said Sharad Pawar is like an idol to us and they met him to seek his blessings.

"We requested him (Sharad Pawar) to keep the NCP united. We also asked him to think about our request over the next some days and guide us. He listened to us quietly but said nothing,” Patel said.

Opposition meeting in Bengaluru

The development comes amid a 2-day brainstorming session of opposition parties in Bengaluru to take on the juggernaut of Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Sunday meeting of Pawars triggered speculations of the senior Pawar skipping the Bengaluru gathering on Monday.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he has spoken with the NCP chief and was informed that he would participate in the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru on July 18.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh rejected insinuations that Pawar would skip the Opposition meeting on Monday and take part in it on Tuesday, saying the official meeting of opposition parties is on Tuesday and Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah is only hosting a dinner on Monday.