Ajit visits Sharad Pawar on birthday, sets tongues wagging

Before meeting Pawar, Ajit had also extended his wishes to the veteran leader through a post on social media platform, X

MUMBAI: For the Pawar clan, it’s always family first. Setting aside bitter differences with his uncle, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar paid Sharad Pawar a surprise visit, to wish him on his 84th birthday on Thursday. Accompanied by his wife Sunetra and son Parth, Ajit turned up at Pawar Senior’s official residence in New Delhi, unannounced, along with senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare.

Ajit visits Sharad Pawar on birthday, sets tongues wagging

Before meeting Pawar, Ajit had also extended his wishes to the veteran leader through a post on social media platform, X.

This is the first time Ajit has visited Pawar Senior on his birthday since he split the NCP in July 2023. Taking 40 MLAs with him, Ajit dealt the party a body blow, even robbing it of its name and symbol. Next, he joined the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti alliance government. However, when they met on Thursday, uncle and nephew also set aside memories of a bruising election campaign, where they had been at odds.

Thursday’s meeting has set tongues wagging in political circles, with speculation rife that both factions of the NCP may reunite. However, insiders in the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) say there isn’t a chance this could happen. “Some relationships transcend politics. Politics is also not only about criticism. Yashwantrao Chavan (Maharashtra’s first chief minister) taught us the art of cultured politics, and we are trying to follow in his footsteps,” said Ajit, after meeting Pawar.

Can a meeting of two senior politicians ever stay strictly personal? Not for the Pawars, one of Maharashtra’s most prominent political families. “We discussed several issues, right from the Parbhani violence to the disruption in Parliament, to the state cabinet expansion, among other things,” Ajit admitted, sharing some details.

Traditionally, Pawar’s birthday celebration has always been a grand affair, and various members of his extended family dropped in at his residence on Thursday. However, it was the first time the NCP did not make any plans to mark the event. Pawar Senior does have a grand dinner organised by his family to look forward to, though. It’s strictly for family and close friends.

His grand-nephew, Yugendra, who lost the recent assembly elections to his uncle Ajit in Baramati, emphasised that Thursday’s visit had nothing to do with politics. “I didn’t know that Ajit Dada was going to come. Our family has always kept family and political relationships separate. Since it was (Sharad) Pawar saheb’s birthday, they must have come in that spirit, that an occasion like this should not be missed,” he said.

Yugendra said there should always be room for politics, even sharp differences of opinions, in any family. “They (Pawar and Ajit) have chosen separate paths but the family should always come together. This meeting should be viewed purely from a 100% familial perspective,” said Yugendra, son of Ajit’s brother Shrinivas Pawar.

NCP leader Praful Patel remarked, “We always come to take his blessings on his birthday.” Tatkare and Bhujbal too said they were following a tradition in the NCP. “It made us feel h to greet him on his birthday,” said Bhujbal.

And it wasn’t just close family who marked the occasion. Members of the larger political family too joined the chorus of wishes for Pawar Senior. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing the media, said, “I extend my best wishes to Pawar. May God give him a long and healthy life, and allow him to continue to serve the country and the state.” Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde extended his wishes in a social media post.