Buzz over 'secret' meeting between Sharad Pawar, nephew Ajit

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar and his deputy chief minister nephew Ajit Pawar, who heads the group of rebel MLAs of the party, are believed to have met at the residence of a businessman in Pune on Saturday, sparking a buzz in Maharashtra political circles.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Amol Mitkari said, "It could be a family meeting between the two leaders".

Visuals aired by regional news channels showed Sharad Pawar arriving at the residence of the businessman in Koregaon Park area at around 1 pm. He left by around 5 pm.

After nearly two hours, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was seen leaving the premises in a car at 6:45 pm while apparently trying to avoid cameras.

The visuals showed the car brushing the gate.

Maharashtra NCP president (Pawar faction) Jayant Patil is also believed to have attended the meeting.

Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar were in Pune on Saturday to attend various programmes separately.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar said, "It is better to ask them (the Pawars and Jayant Patil) what transpired during the meeting".

Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar are family members, he added.

In a sudden development that stunned political circles in Maharashtra last month, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

The eight MLAs of NCP supporting him took oath as ministers.

Out of 54 MLAs, the exact number of legislators supporting the groups led by the Pawar senior and Ajit Pawar is not known.