MVA caught in a guessing game over Pawar play as its unease grows ahead of INDIA meet

The 82-year-old Maratha stalwart’s repeated clarifications however seem to be failing to dispel his allies’ apprehensions about his next course of action. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut Monday sought to question Pawar’s “hypocrisy” obliquely, saying if the NCP chief and Ajit were maintaining their family relationship, why should their supporters fight with each other over ideology.

In an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna, Raut also stated that their meetings were damaging Pawar’s image.

On Saturday, Ajit held a meeting with Pawar at a bungalow of real estate developer Atul Choradiya in Pune’s Koregaon Park. State NCP president Jayant Patil, who is still with the Pawar camp and has denied buzz about switching to the Ajit camp, was also present at the meeting.

Pawar has denied that it was a secret meeting, claiming “Ajit is my nephew. I am the eldest person in the Pawar family. Meeting a younger person in the family or calling him to meet is nothing wrong.” He also maintained that there was no question of his aligning with the BJP.

Last month, Pawar had met Ajit at least four times. Pawar’s grand nephew Rohit Pawar has also downplayed such meetings, saying they do not have “quarrel in the family” but have political and ideological differences.

The state political circles are however abuzz with various speculations over repeated Pawar-Ajit encounters.

The minister and BJP leader, Sudhir Mungantiwar, said, “I believe Ajit must have impressed upon his uncle Pawar to come and work with PM Narendra Modi who has embarked on Atma Nirbhar Bharat,” adding that Ajit also must have told Pawar about the “futility of associating with Congress and Rahul Gandhi”.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar charged that the Pawar-Ajit’s meeting was related to the “Enforcement Directorate (ED) factor”, referring to the central agency’s move to send notice to Jayant Patil’s brother.

Ambedkar said, “Noboby is questioning the equations between Pawar and Ajit. They both live in Mumbai, Baramati and Pune. They can easily meet at home. But my analysis is meeting was related to ED.” He also said, “Look at the developments. Former NCP minister Nawab Malik who was in prison was released a couple of days ago on bail.”

Jayant Patil said, “My brother received ED notice. He had four days ago furnished the information to ED. The cases related to me don’t exist.” He also added, “While it is true every MLA wants to become a minister, I have decided to remain with Sharad Pawar.”

Significantly, both Pawar and Ajit factions welcomed Malik upon his release. “This so-called divide within NCP is just a myth. It is a politics of convenience. And every NCP leader or worker knows it,” Ambedkar said.

Some NCP insiders said, “Even after a majority of MLAs led by Ajit joined the ruling BJP coalition, Pawar has ensured there is no split. Pawar has also not taken any action against those who broke away from the party.” They also said that the dialogue between the two factions would remain a “continuous and open-ended process”, noting that “the bitterness which is fallout of any split is missing in the case of NCP”.

On July 2, Ajit led a major section of the NCP’s total 53 MLAs to ally with the Eknath Shinde Sena-BJP government. While Ajit became the Deputy Chief Minister, eight of his senior party colleagues bagged the ministerial posts.

A senior NCP minister said, “Whether it is the Pawar faction outside power or Ajit faction in power, the NCP will remain together at the end. They will not work at cross-purposes. Instead, we will use the Opposition and ruling platforms to further the party’s interest.”

On its part, the BJP believes Pawars’ meetings dent Opposition unity at the state and national levels, whether it is the MVA or the INDIA bloc, thereby boosting its prospects.

The saffron party believes the Opposition has reasons to worry, not its coalition. State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “It was Ajit Pawar who wanted to join us. So we welcomed him,” adding “we don’t meddle with their internal matters”.

The Congress has always been wary of Pawar politics. “While Pawar maintains his family relationship even with rebel nephew who has joined hands with the BJP, our workers are taking the BJP head-on. Won’t it be difficult for us when we meet our workers?”a senior Congress leader said.

Both the Congress and the Uddhav Sena have publicly expressed their strong disapproval of Pawar’s meetings with Ajit, asking the NCP supremo to clear the air. This was made clear by state Congress chief Nana Patole after his meeting with Uddhav Thackeray Sunday. Congress sources said Patole has also taken up the matter with Rahul Gandhi.

Patole said, “Our position is clear. Those ready to fight BJP are welcome to be part of INDIA.”