Chhagan Bhujbal meets Sharad Pawar, says it was courtesy call

Mumbai: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal met his party chief Sharad Pawar on Friday amid continuous talks of Mr. Bhujbal’s growing proximity to his former party, the Shiv Sena.

The meeting between the two leaders was the first after Mr. Bhujbal secured bail in a money laundering case. After reaching home in Santacruz from KEM Hospital Mr. Bhujbal had said that it was Mr Pawar who called him first after he got bail.

Mr. Pawar enquired about his health and advised Mr. Bhujbal to rest for some time. Since Mr. Bhujbal’s release, there has been talk of his next political move and his growing closeness with the Sena.

Mr. Bhujbal’s son and NCP MLA, Pankaj Bhujbal, held a meeting with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, and thanked him for the support to his father in Saamna.

Political circles have been swamped with reports of Mr. Bhujbal being unhappy with the NCP for being ignored by the party leadership during his incarceration. But contrary to those reports, Mr. Bhujbal himself went to meet Mr. Pawar at the latter’s residence on Friday morning. Later in the day, he also met NCP leader Ajit Pawar. Mr. Bhujbal was with Mr. Pawar at his Malbar Hill residence for half an hour. “He enquired about my health and asked me to take care,” said Mr. Bhujbal after the meeting. He said it was a courtesy meeting and there was no political discussion.

Mr Bhujbal has already informed that health permitting he would participate in NCP’s national convention on June 10 in Pune and also address the public rally.