Uddhav Thackeray abroad, NCP's Sharad Pawar meets Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

Sharad Pawar met Eknath Shinde at Varsha in Mumbai. This was their first meeting since the transfer of power in Maharashtra.

Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday evening met Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde at Varsha bungalow, the official residence of the CM. This was their first meeting since the transfer of power in Maharashtra.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar meets Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde at his residence on Thursday evening.

The purpose of the visit remains unclear, but it has sparked discussions as Pawar made an unexpected visit to Shinde, raising eyebrows in the political sphere.

The meeting is also considered significant since former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, a key figure in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, is abroad on a holiday. Thackeray is with family for vacation and is expected to return to Mumbai after the first week of June.

Consequently, there is speculation that this meeting could be related to the pending expansion of the cabinet or the ongoing investigation by the ED into NCP leaders.

Maha Vikas Aghadi government

In 2019, the Shiv Sena had ended the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra with the Congress and Pawar's NCP.

Last year, the government collapsed after Shinde split the party and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government.

Earlier in April, Maharashtra leader of Opposition and NCP chief Ajit Pawar met Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis at Sahyadri guest house.