NCP rejects rumours of internal rift after Sunetra Pawar skips meeting
Party spokesperson Umesh Patil dismissed claims of division following a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior leaders in New Delhi.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday dismissed reports of internal differences following a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a delegation of senior party leaders in New Delhi. The speculation arose after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and her sons, Parth and Jay Pawar, did not attend the meeting on Sunday.
NCP national chief spokesperson Umesh Patil described claims that Sunetra Pawar and Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar were excluded from the discussions as "incorrect, baseless and misleading". He said the party remains united under the leadership of Sunetra Pawar and is an important constituent of the Mahayuti alliance.
Patil stated that Sunetra Pawar and Parth Pawar had met Shah earlier to discuss issues facing the party after the death of Ajit Pawar. During that earlier meeting, Sunetra Pawar reportedly informed Shah that a delegation of senior leaders would meet him and requested an appointment.
The delegation that met Shah on Sunday included Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Dilip Walse Patil, Hassan Mushrif, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Dhananjay Munde. According to The Times of India, these leaders held closed-door discussions at the residence of Chhagan Bhujbal after returning to Maharashtra.
Dilip Walse Patil said the core group would meet Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar in the evening. The meeting with Shah follows the NCP losing the Aurangabad Graduates constituency in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections and the party's efforts to secure the finance portfolio previously held by Ajit Pawar.