Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who has been maintaining a low profile following a bout of “dengue”, became politically active on Friday. In spite of being advised complete rest by his doctors, he had an hour-long meeting with his uncle and NCP leader Sharad Pawar and the latter's daughter Supriya Sule in Pune.
The nature of the meeting was not known. But, interestingly Pawar Jr flew down to New Delhi soon after that to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Ajit Pawar persuades Sharad Pawar to support BJP
Ajit Pawar is believed to have persuaded Sharad Pawar to support the BJP. Ajit Dada and Sharad Pawar are jointly managing Pune District Co-operative Bank, sugar factories and many educational institutions. The situation is similar in some private factories. Sources said that there has been a discussion in the Pawar family about seeking the help of Amit Shah, who manages the country's cooperative ministry.
Ajit Pawar was completely aloof from many political developments in Maharashtra especially the agitation by Manoj Jarange-Patil for reservation for Marathas. The agitation had created a rift in the state cabinet with Chhagan Bhujbal opposing reservation for Marathas at the cost of OBCs.
Ajit Pawar’s meeting with Amit Shah is of special importance as NCP leaders who are with him are awaiting the expansion of the Union and State Cabinets, hoping to get important portfolios.
In Pune, NCP President Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met at the residence of Pawar Sr's brother Pratap Rao Pawar. Sharad Pawar said that there was no political discussion. Also, his sister Saroj Patil also said this visit was a family affair.
“Today being Prataprao Pawar's birthday and Diwali, we all siblings and children came together. So, today, leave politics,” said Saroj Patil, sister of Sharad Pawar.
Pawars meet for Diwali lunch
Sharad Pawar's younger brother Prataprao Pawar has a residence in Pune's Baner area. A lunch was organized today on the occasion of Diwali at his residence. Pawar family had come together on this occasion. On the one hand, Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar were celebrating Diwali, on the other they are opposing each other in the Election Commission on the NCP party and symbol issue.
Earlier, State Cooperation Minister Dilip Valse Patil also met Sharad Pawar in the morning. That also sparked a discussion. However, Dilip Valse Patil while disclosing about this visit said that this visit was about Rayat Shikshan Sanstha. This visit was pre-arranged. Officials of the Rayat Education Institute were also present. He said that only the Rayat Education Institute issue was discussed in this meeting.
Ajit Pawar's NCP national spokesperson Brijmohan Srivastava said that party president Ajit Pawar, national working president Praful Patel and Maharashtra state president Sunil Tatkare met Home Minister Amit Shah to wish him Diwali.
