Amid speculation over his ‘unhappiness’, Praful Patel says Ajit Pawar diagnosed with dengue and will be back soon

While giving the update about Ajit Pawar’s health, Patel said, “Contrary to speculation and media reports suggesting Ajit Pawar is not attending public events, I would like to clarify that he has been diagnosed with dengue since yesterday and has been advised medical treatment and rest for next few days”.

“Ajit Pawar remains committed to his public service responsibilities. Once he has fully recovered he will be back in full force to continue his dedicated public duties,” he added.

On Thursday, when Prime Minister Narendra arrived in Shirdi, Pawar welcomed him at the airport and accompanied him to Shirdi Saibaba temple along with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Later, Ajit Pawar attended the programme organised at Shirdi where Modi inaugurated a series of welfare schemes including dedicating the Nilwande Dam, Namo Shetkari Sanman Yojna for farmers and Ayushman Bharat Hospital among others.

However, his absence from cabinet meetings had led to rumours about his unhappiness. On his part, Ajit Pawar had denied these speculations as baseless and false.

Moreover, earlier this week when Shinde and Fadnavis went to Delhi to meet PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Ajit Pawar had said he did not know about the meeting. Responding to reporters’ questions, he had quipped, “They didn’t ask me”.

On Saturday, Fadnavis told a TV channel, “It is unfair to attribute motive to Ajit Pawar. We are all working together as a team. Last time he skipped a cabinet meeting as he had a sore throat”.

“Had there been any dispute, NCP ministers would have raised it during the Cabinet meeting or at least registered their dissent. If they were unhappy, why would other NCP ministers participate?” he had said.