Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday for the third time in the past week, even as the government issued a fresh transfer order for 10 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) in Mumbai, and two municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) reporting high cases extended the lockdown in their jurisdictions till July 19.

An earlier transfer order for the DCPs, issued on July 2, was scrapped three days later ostensibly due to some discontent over the issue between Shiv Sena and NCP, allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The first meeting between Mr. Pawar and Mr. Thackeray had been held after differences surfaced over the decision to extend the lockdown in the MMR, with Congress and NCP ministers indicating they were kept out of the loop on the decision.

Later, both leaders, and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, had met after the transfer orders for 10 Mumbai DCPs were put aside, and it was decided that periodic review meetings will be held to avoid scope for communication gaps within the three constituents of the MVA.

On Friday, Mr. Pawar and the CM reviewed ongoing COVID-19 relief work. Apart from extending the lockdown till July 19 in Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli, Mr. Pawar sanctioned nine of the 10 proposed transfers of DCPs.

DCP Paramjit Dahiya, who was earlier transferred to Zone I, has now been sent to Zone III, while Sangaramsingh Nishandar will continue as DCP Zone I, according to the fresh order. Mohan Dahikar, who was posted as DCP (Detection), as per the earlier order, has been now sent to Local Arms, Tardeo, while Nandkumar Thakur, who was posted as DCP (HQ 1) will now be DCP (Detection).

The charge of DCP (Operations) has been given to DCP Special Branch I, while the Protection and Security Branch will be under the DCP Prevention (Crime). The other transfers first effected on July 2, remain the same.

According to sources, such meetings will now be held at regular intervals. “The rumours spread by the Opposition about a threat to the stability to this government have no basis. We are working fine. These meetings are to ensure no miscommunication takes place,” an MVA leader said.