Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah concluded his tour of Maharashtra with a significant late-night meeting with Deputy Chief Minister and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar at the Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai. The meeting, which lasted about 20 minutes, has triggered a wave of political speculation across the state.
Although no official statements were released by either the BJP or Ajit Pawar's camp, the timing and secrecy of the meeting have fueled intense discussions within the Mahayuti alliance. A few days earlier, political circles were abuzz with talk that Shah and Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had decided to induct Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal into the state cabinet without consulting Ajit Pawar.
Bhujbal himself, in a recent television interview, credited his cabinet entry to Shah and Fadnavis but made no mention of Pawar—an omission that raised eyebrows within the alliance. Bhujbal had alleged that Ajit Pawar had objected to his induction into the cabinet during the cabinet expansion in December 2024. Adding to the discontent, former minister Dhananjay Munde is reportedly upset after being dropped from the cabinet, with his portfolio handed over to Bhujbal.
It is believed that the Shah–Pawar meeting also touched upon the upcoming local body elections, making the discussions even more critical for the political dynamics within the Mahayuti coalition.
Earlier in the day, Shah attended the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj State Inspiration Song Award – 2025 ceremony, held for the first time by the Maharashtra government. The event took place at the official residence “Varsha” in Mumbai, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The award was presented for the patriotic song "Anadi Mi... Anant Mi...", penned by freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Minister for Cultural Affairs and IT, Adv. Ashish Shelar, also attended the ceremony.
During the event, Shah and Fadnavis jointly handed over a ₹2 lakh cheque to the office-bearers of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Foundation, intended for the upkeep of Savarkar’s national memorial. Following the award function, Amit Shah departed for Delhi, leaving behind a trail of political curiosity about his late-night rendezvous with Ajit Pawar.
