NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on Wednesday morning. His daughter and MP Supriya Sule was also present during the meeting.
Pawar also handed over a letter to the Prime Minister. However, details of what was discussed have not yet been made public.
A day earlier, Sharad Pawar had visited the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, where he met the party’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke.
Photos from the meeting..
Modi held Sharad Pawar’s hand and brought him with support.
There was a cordial meeting between Pawar and Modi.
Pawar also handed over a letter to Modi.
Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule was also present during the meeting.
Speculation about Pawar joining NDA
Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked fresh political speculation over the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)’s future and its possible stance on the proposed delimitation bill.
Political observers believe the BJP may require the support of the party’s eight Lok Sabha MPs if the bill is brought before Parliament. The meeting has therefore been linked to the Centre’s efforts to build consensus.
NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule has indicated that the party could support the bill, provided the government gives a written assurance that the total number of Lok Sabha seats will be increased by 50%. However, she has ruled out any possibility of the party joining the NDA or merging with it.
With conflicting political signals, attention is now focused on Sharad Pawar’s next move.
On July 21, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar arrived at Jantar Mantar. Cockroach Janata Party chief Abhijit Dipke came down from the stage to meet him and approached his car.
Modi and Pawar share cordial ties despite political rivalry
Despite being political rivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sharad Pawar are known to share a cordial personal relationship and have often spoken respectfully about each other.
During a visit to Baramati in 2015, Modi publicly praised Pawar’s political experience, saying the veteran leader had “held his hand and taught him how to walk” during his early years in politics.
In 2017, the Modi government conferred the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, on Sharad Pawar, despite their political differences.
Pawar is also regarded as one of the few Opposition leaders who maintains direct communication with the Prime Minister. The two have met on several occasions to discuss national issues and administrative matters concerning Maharashtra, even as they remain fierce rivals in electoral politics.
Modi launched a scathing attack on Pawar in the elections
During the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Modi had labeled Sharad Pawar’s NCP a “naturally corrupt party” and appealed to the public to oust the “uncle-nephew” duo (Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar). During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on Sharad Pawar without naming him, calling him a “wandering soul” who harms political stability.
Sharad Pawar has also been a frequent critic of the Modi government’s policies. He accused Modi of creating an atmosphere of fear in the country by comparing him to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also objected to comparisons of PM Modi to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
