A wave of confusion swept through Maharashtra's political landscape on Friday as NCP leader Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule seemed to offer contradictory perspectives on the status of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar within the party. While the BJP cautiously embraced Sharad Pawar's statement, and Shiv Sena (UBT) asserted that the party's split was evident, the Congress suggested that Sharad Pawar might have influenced Ajit Pawar's stance, humorously referring to it as "Episode 2 of Ajit Pawar returns."
Supriya Sule, Lok Sabha MP from Baramati, had earlier stated that Ajit Pawar's inclusion in the state government should not be seen as a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). On the following day, NCP chief Sharad Pawar echoed a similar sentiment during a press conference in Baramati. He stated, "There's no question that Ajit Pawar is our party leader," when asked about his daughter's comment.
Sharad Pawar's statement sparked debates over Ajit Pawar's status within the party and raised questions among the party's allies. Ajit Pawar, who was touring Pimpri Chinchwad town near Pune after his fourth term as Deputy Chief Minister, declined to comment on his uncle's statement. In his speech, he praised PM Modi for the Chandrayan 3 mission.
During his journey to Kolhapur, Sharad Pawar attempted to clarify his stance, stating that he didn't mean there was no split within the party and that he meant they were united as a family. However, confusion continued to cloud his statement. Supriya Sule added to the confusion by remarking, "Boss is always right," in response to her father's latest statement.
Sharad Pawar later emphasized that Ajit Pawar was given a chance by the party after his previous error during the swearing-in ceremony. He made it clear that such opportunities are not given repeatedly and stated the party's position. His party colleagues revealed that the party had written to the Speakers of the Maharashtra assembly and the Lok Sabha regarding the disqualification of members who deviated from the party line.
The contradictory statements triggered varied reactions among political parties. Praveen Darekar of the BJP responded cautiously, stating, "If what Sharad Pawar has said is true, he is with us. I welcome it." On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut firmly asserted that the NCP has split. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe humorously predicted "Ajit Pawar Returns Part-2," suggesting that political discussions were ignited by Sharad Pawar's remarks.
