Ally's Stern Message To Sharad Pawar Weeks Ahead Of INDIA Meet In Mumbai

At a time when Opposition bloc INDIA are putting up a united front and planning their next big meeting in Mumbai, trouble is brewing in Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), a key member of the Opposition alliance in Maharashtra, is not amused by Sharad Pawar's meetings with nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, weeks after his rebellion split the veteran's party.

While Mr Pawar has asserted that he has no plans to join hands with the BJP, his ally is making no bones about its disapproval with the meetings.

Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, responded to Mr Pawar's remark that there is nothing wrong in him meeting his nephew.

"Sharad Pawar is saying Ajit Pawar is his nephew and can meet him. Why are their followers fighting on the streets then?" Mr Raut asked. In what appeared to be a swipe at the veteran leader, he said, "We don't put up appearances by sitting with another party's leaders as our workers fight."

The Team Thackeray leader described Mr Pawar as the "Bhishma Pitamaha" of Maharashtra politics and said he "should not do anything that creates doubt in the minds of people".

Mr Raut said they had spoken to Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole over Mr Pawar's meeting with Ajit Pawar.

Mr Raut's remarks come after his party's mouthpiece Saamana said it is "amusing" to see Ajit Pawar frequently meeting Mr Pawar and the latter not avoiding it.

"There is a hunch that BJP's 'Chanakya' is trying to create some confusion by sending Ajit to meet senior Pawar. However, such meetings tarnish the image of Sharad Pawar and it is not good," it said.

The veteran politician has asserted that his meeting with Ajit Pawar is a family meeting and that he has no plans to change camps.

Addressing the media following a meeting with this nephew, Mr Pawar said, "As the national president of the NCP, I am making it clear that my party (NCP) will not go with the BJP. Any association with the Bharatiya Janata Party does not fit in NCP's political policy."

He added that some "well-wishers" are trying to persuade him but he will never align with the BJP.

Amid the flutter caused by the meeting, he said, "I want to tell you a fact that he is my nephew. What is wrong with meeting my nephew? If a senior person in a family desires to meet another family member, there should not be any issue with that. There's nothing wrong if Ajit Pawar comes to meet me. We didn't meet secretly".

The meetings are being keenly watched by the Opposition front which is planning its next meeting in Mumbai on August 31. Mr Pawar, one of the key forces behind the Opposition coming together to form a united force against the BJP, has said there is no confusion within the Maharashtra alliance over his meetings with Ajit Pawar.

In a shocking development last month, Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs from Sharad Pawar's party joined the Eknath Shinde-led government. Since then, several MLAs of NCP have announced support for the Ajit Pawar camp as his uncle fights to retain control over the party.