Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan created a huge sensation on Sunday evening by stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has offered the Union agriculture ministry to Sharad Pawar. Chavan told the FPJ that Saturday evening's between deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar with Pawar Sr in Pune at the residence of businessman Atul Choradia's bungalow was about that. He said NCP faction leader Jayant Patil was also present at the meeting. Chordia is a long-term friend of Sharad Pawar and business advisor.
Chavan, who is a former Union minister and ex-chief minister of Maharashtra, said Sharad Pawar was also offered the chairmanship of the NITI Aayog with cabinet rank. "My information is that Pawar saheb has not accepted the offer made by Ajitdada," he added.
Ever since Ajit Pawar moved away from his uncle along with several MLAs of the NCP, he has been keeping a line of communication open with the veteran Maratha leader. Saturday evening's meeting was the third-known meeting between the two.
Offers also made to Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule
Chavan said an offer was also made to accommodate Jayant Patil and MP Supriya Sule. It is learnt that Ajit dada, who was in New Delhi recently to meet senior leaders of the BJP, has been asked by the latter to convey the offer to Sharad Pawar. The BJP, which split the Shiv Sena first and then the NCP later, is keen that Sharad Pawar is also incorporated in its scheme of things so that it can occupy more political space in Maharashtra during the assembly and Lok Sabha elections scheduled for next year.
Sources said Sharad Pawar may ultimately succumb to pressure from the BJP because he has little political future as the head of a rump of the NCP, which he founded. Most of his MLAs have deserted him and his political meetings post the split in the NCP are not receiving the level of mass enthusiasm which he was expecting.
INDIA bloc at unease with multiple Ajit Pawar-Sharad Pawar meetings
Meanwhile, there is considerable disquiet within the INDIA bloc because of the frequent meeting between Ajit Pawar and his uncle. Many in the opposition feel that Sharad Pawar is not at all forthcoming about the nature of these meetings.
"We feel that he is playing with his card kept close to his chest. In fact, we won't in the least be surprised if he does eventually ally himself with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He is too vulnerable to pressure from the BJP," a senior Congress leader observed.
The Shiv Sena is also considerably upset with the frequent meetings between the Pawars. Asked if he approved of the meetings between the uncle and nephew, Chavan replied, "It was for Sharad Pawar to decide about the appropriateness of these meetings."
Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) stated for the sake of record that there was nothing wrong in these meetings. "Did not Narendra Modi meet Nawaz Sharif?" he asked.
However, Uddhav Thackeay is reported to be deeply worried about these moves since they will give a body blow to the MVA coalition. These developments are happening in the background of the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to be held at the end of August in Mumbai. The Shiv Sena has been tasked with the job of making the arrangements. The million dollar question is whether Sharad Pawar will attend this conclave to be held at the Grand Hyatt hotel at Kalina.
