Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, and his supporters met with NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday, July 17, 2023. The meeting was held at Pawar's residence in Mumbai and lasted for about an hour.
The meeting was reportedly focused on the future of the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar. The faction had rebelled against Sharad Pawar and joined the Eknath Shinde government in July 2023. However, there have been reports that the faction is now considering returning to the NCP.
After the meeting, Praful Patel, a senior NCP leader who is part of the Ajit Pawar faction, said that the faction would attend the next meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The NDA is a political alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Patel's statement is significant because it suggests that the Ajit Pawar faction is still committed to the NDA. This is despite the fact that the BJP has been critical of Ajit Pawar in the past.
The meeting between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar is the first since the Ajit Pawar faction joined the Shinde government. It is unclear what was discussed at the meeting, but it is likely that the future of the NCP faction was a major topic of conversation.
The meeting is also significant because it comes at a time when the NCP is facing a leadership crisis. Sharad Pawar is 81 years old and has been the party's leader for over 40 years. There is speculation that he may step down as party leader soon.
The Ajit Pawar faction could play a key role in the future of the NCP. If the faction returns to the party, it could help to stabilize the NCP and ensure that it remains a major force in Maharashtra politics.
However, if the faction decides to leave the NCP, it could weaken the party and make it more difficult for the NCP to compete in future elections.
The next few weeks will be critical for the NCP. The party will need to decide whether to accept the Ajit Pawar faction back into the fold or to allow it to leave the party. The decision that the NCP makes will have a major impact on the party's future.
The meeting between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar is a significant development in the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra. The meeting suggests that the Ajit Pawar faction is still committed to the NCP and to the NDA. However, it is also possible that the faction is simply trying to buy time while it decides what to do next.
The future of the NCP faction is uncertain. If the faction returns to the NCP, it could help to stabilize the party and ensure that it remains a major force in Maharashtra politics. However, if the faction decides to leave the NCP, it could weaken the party and make it more difficult for the NCP to compete in future elections.
The next few weeks will be critical for the NCP. The party will need to decide whether to accept the Ajit Pawar faction back into the fold or to allow it to leave the party. The decision that the NCP makes will have a major impact on the party's future.
Possible outcomes:-
There are a number of possible outcomes to the current political crisis in Maharashtra. One possibility is that the Ajit Pawar faction will return to the NCP. This would be the most stable outcome for the NCP and for Maharashtra politics as a whole.
Another possibility is that the Ajit Pawar faction will leave the NCP and form its own party. This would be a more disruptive outcome, but it could also lead to a more competitive political landscape in Maharashtra.
It is also possible that the Ajit Pawar faction will continue to support the Eknath Shinde government. This would be the least stable outcome, as it would keep the NCP divided and would make it difficult for the government to function effectively.
The outcome of the current political crisis in Maharashtra is uncertain. However, the meeting between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar is a significant development that could help to shape the future of the NCP and of Maharashtra politics as a whole.
