When Sharad Pawar stood up to meet nephew Ajit

Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar stood up when he came face to face with his estranged nephew and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar at an official meeting in Pune on Saturday.

Her father followed protocol, said Sharad Pawar's daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, and advised all political workers to emulate his example.

Pawar, 83, attended a meeting of the District Planning and Development Council here in his capacity as a Rajya Sabha member.

As soon as Ajit Pawar, who was to chair the meeting as guardian minister of the district, walked in, the senior Pawar rose to his feet like other participants did.

"He stood up to follow protocol, and this is what all political workers should take inspiration from," Sule said at her party's rally in Pimpri Chinchwad later in the evening.

Ajit led a rebellion against his uncle last year and split the NCP to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra.

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Ajit group MLA meets Sharad Pawar

Atul Benke, an MLA of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, on Saturday met NCP-SP president Sharad Pawar in Pune.

The development sparked off speculation as it came days after Ajit Gavhane, Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief of the Ajit Pawar-led party, resigned along with two former corporators.

Benke, MLA from Junnar in Pune district, met Sharad Pawar at the residence of Shirur MP and NCP-SP leader Amol Kolhe.

When asked by reporters, the Pawar senior played down the meeting.

"Several people come to meet me. He is my friend's son," the veteran leader said.

"All those who worked for our candidates in the Lok Sabha elections are our people. Protecting their interest is our responsibility," Sharad Pawar further said.

Benke, for his part, did not make clear his intentions.

When asked which NCP faction he would stay with during the coming Maharashtra assembly elections, he said, "There is still time for elections. Anything can happen....in the Mahayuti seat-sharing, or Dada (Ajit Pawar) and Saheb (Sharad Pawar) can come together."

Ajit Pawar joined the ruling Mahayuti alliance of Shiv Sena and BJP in July 2023 by splitting the NCP and became Maharashtra deputy chief minister.

Benke also said that in the aftermath of the NCP split, he decided to stay with the Ajit Pawar-led party in the interest of his constituency.

"After I took the decision, two irrigation projects were sanctioned (in Junnar)," he added.

Talking to reporters elsewhere, Ajit Pawar said Benke should be asked about why he met the senior Pawar.

"So what....many MLAs come to meet me as well. Ask Atul Benke the reason of his meeting," said the deputy chief minister.