A meeting between NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) on Monday sparked speculations among the Maharashtra political circles. The meeting lasted for 10 minutes. Today’s meeting took place days after Pawar, who has recovered from three surgeries, had last week met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the political scenario and issues relating to the functioning of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Further, timing of today’s meeting is crucial as Pawar has convened a meeting of NCP legislators and ministers on June 1 to review their work and issues relating to the coordination with the ruling partners Shiv Sena and NCP while running the MVA government.
Fadnavis in a tweet said, “Met former Union Minister & Senior leader Shri Sharad Pawar ji at his residence in Mumbai this morning. This was courtesy meeting.”
NCP insiders have scoffed at rumours with regard to the party's possible tie up with BJP in the state.
NCP veteran and Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif said, “Devendra Fadnavis had earlier expressed his desire to meet Sharad Pawar. After that, Sharad Pawar may have given time to meet him. Fadnavis may have gone to inquire about Pawar's health." He thereby asked the media not to read too much into today’s meeting.
However, the timing is important when the MVA government has been under attack from the BJP and the Maratha community over the cancellation of 12% quota in education and 13% in government jobs. Further, BJP has targeted the MVA government over the scrapping of 27% political reservation for OBCs in local self-government. In addition, Congress is up in arms against the issuance of a government resolution on May 7 cancelling 33% quota in promotions for the backward classes. Observers say Pawar and Fadnavis may have deliberated on these current issues which have pitted MVA and BJP against each other.
