Ajit Pawar skips NCP convention, says "no need to read into it"

Mumbai: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Friday skipped his party's Mumbai unit's convention. Addressing the rumours about his next political move, he said that there is no need to read into it and he was only absent because of attending other programmes.

Sharad Pawar also on Tuesday dismissed the speculations about his nephew making a political move and said Ajit Pawar is just busy with the party's work. Ajit Pawar also clarified that he will be remaining with the NCP.

Ajit Pawar's certain remarks were interpreted to be soft on the BJP and CM Shinde's camp.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also wrote on party mouthpiece Saamana last Sunday that Sharad Pawar recently told Thackeray that there is a lot of pressure on some individuals to break ranks. "Families are being targeted but even if individuals take a different stand, NCP as a party will never go with the BJP, he wrote referring to the senior Pawar."

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena has said that it will not be part of the Maharashtra government if Ajit Pawar and a group of NCP leaders join with the BJP.

State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said MVA leaders were defaming Ajit Pawar and questioning his credibility. "They are posing questions on the credibility of Pawar. From the early morning swearing-in (when Pawar broke ranks and allied with Devendra Fadnavis in 2019) till now, question marks are being raised on his life, stand and work." He added that he had not met Ajit Pawar in the last three months.

The NCP meeting in Mumbai was addressed by party chief Sharad Pawar and attended by other senior leaders like Praful Patel, Jitendra Awhad, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, and state president Jayant Patil.

Praful Patel said Mumbai and Thane regions have 60 Assembly seats. "NCP must do well in this belt if it has to emerge as the number one party in the state." Jitndra Awhad said the party can do well if civic elections are fought under the leadership of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in an alliance.

"NCP has fought elections in Mumbai in alliance with the Congress with mixed results. We also have to renew efforts to strengthen ourselves at the grassroots and connect with people on issues of housing and basic amenities," said Jayant Patil.