The shifting dynamics of politics are evident in the NCP, where a nephew who once looked up to his uncle for guidance now seemingly holds the reins. In a surprising turn of events, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, recently held a secret meeting with his uncle, Sharad Pawar. This meeting, which took place at a businessman’s residence in Pune, has led to speculations that Ajit offered a Cabinet Post to Sharad and a Minister of State post in the centre with an independent charge to Jayant Patil of Sharad Pawar’s faction. This offer reportedly comes with a condition: Sharad Pawar must merge his party with Ajit’s faction. Sources suggest that if Sharad refuses the Agriculture Ministry portfolio, his daughter Supriya might be considered for the role.
The covert meeting drew criticism from prominent figures like ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole. Both have expressed their reservations and believe that the senior Pawar must clarify his stance.
The MVA alliance believes it’s inappropriate for Sharad Pawar to attend such meetings. However, Sharad Pawar-Ajit Pawar duo sees no harm, stating that it’s beyond mere politics.
On the other hand, the leader of the opposition and Congress leader, Vijay Wadettiwar, opined that if the rumoured merger happens, Ajit Pawar might become Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister. The BJP holds the view that achieving their goal of 42 Lok Sabha seats out of 48 in Maharashtra would be challenging without Sharad Pawar’s support.
Informed sources highlight that after Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra ranks second in terms of the number of Lok Sabha seats, making it pivotal in national politics.
Much remains to be seen what holds for MVA alliance which will have a direct bearing on I.N.D.I.A . Sharad Pawar is the glue that holds it together and Pawar senior understands that all parties working together and sitting perfectly in seat sharing won’t be possible . The individual ambitions of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal were to be seen when he made the recent parliament session more about Delhi Services Bill than a concerted alliance to take on government in parliament and thus no trust vote failed massively.