THE leader of breakaway group and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar sprang a third surprise in four days on Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar -- making an unscheduled call on the latter, here on Monday afternoon. Ajit Pawar, accompanied by over two dozen MLAs, his faction’s Working President Praful Patel and others suddenly trooped down to the Y. B. Chavan Centre at Nariman Point to meet Pawar Sr.

 

The exact reason for the third meeting is not clear, though speculation is rife that it is concerned with the notices of disqualification served by the NCP on Ajit Pawar and his team of Ministers. From Sharad Pawar side, present were State NCP President Jayant Patil, National General Secretary Dr. Jitendra Awhad and other senior leaders. Monday’s meeting came a day after Ajit Pawar, along with his ministerial team and other leaders made a call on Sharad Pawar on Sunday afternoon, sending political circles into a tizzy. “In today’s meeting with Sharad Pawar, we again asked him to ensure that the NCP stays united,” Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel said.

 

Those MLAs (of the Ajit Pawar faction) who could not meet Sharad Pawar during the meeting held on Sunday were present on this occasion, Patel told reporters. After the Sunday meeting, Patel told mediapersons that they had gone to seek Sharad Pawar’s blessings and also make unity efforts for the splintered NCP. He also admitted that though Pawar Sr. gave them a patient hearing but remained non-committal on their request. About Monday’s (July 17) meeting, Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said that the party MLAs were keen to meet and seek the blessings of Sharad Pawar. “After all, we are still in the same party,” Walse-Patil said with a smile at the two meetings in two days, while his colleague Minister Dhananjay Munde said Patel and Ajit Pawar would clarify all doubts later in the day.