NCP chairman Sharad Pawar plays hardball with Ajit Pawar side, remains’silent’ in meeting.

MUMBAI: Sharad Pawar is tough on renegade NCP ministers and MLAs who joined the BJP.

Ajit Pawar and MLAs supporting him met Sharad Pawar on Monday to resolve the NCP’s political impasse. Ajit Pawar met Sharad Pawar on Sunday.

Sharad Pawar was mute in both meetings. He enquired about sowing and monsoon in the MLAs’ constituencies. He refused political discussion. Sharad Pawar asked ministers for solutions to the political impasse when they demanded one. “He said his path is clear—it is against the BJP and its ideology,” claimed a senior NCP leader who requested anonymity.

NCP (Sharad Pawar) state president Jayant Patil stated Sharad Pawar called him to attend a meeting with NCP MLAs from the Ajit Pawar faction without alerting him or his office.

After I was hurried to the YB Chavan Centre from Raj Bhavan, these MLAs were outside his office. I came before Sharad Pawar called them in. He was explicit in our meeting. Sharad Pawar’s recent Yeola rally was apparent, thus he shouldn’t repeat himself. We’re done. Pawar saheb never ends talks if rebel MLAs keep meeting him. Patil said they’ll keep talking.

A senior close to Ajit Pawar stated, “The BJP is keen to offer the chief ministerial post to Ajit Dada, but they are asking for the support of Sharad Pawar. The BJP gave NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule a major Union cabinet job. We want to convince him that the BJP has a future if we stay. We meet Sharad Pawar because he is our leader.”

Sharad Pawar’s absence from Monday’s Opposition leaders’ dinner fueled rumours of a U-turn. His staff then stated that he will attend the Bangalore meeting on Tuesday and had missed Monday’s dinner owing to Mumbai engagements.