Pawar's meeting in Shinde's office sparks tension, war of words between allies Sena (UBT), NCP (SP)

Mumbai: Veteran leader Sharad Pawar holding a party meeting in Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's office here has turned into a flashpoint between Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), with both opposition allies on Thursday targeting each other over the development.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said his party was disturbed and hurt with Pawar's meeting in Shinde's office, and stressed that such acts lower the credibility of a senior leader like him. He added that the meeting amounted to "glorification of traitors".

The NCP (SP) hit back at Raut in strong words, accusing him of adopting "double standards" and reminding him that Pawar's meetings with him and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray were earlier hailed as "political statesmanship".


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Stating that politics runs on arithmetic and not emotions, the NCP (SP) also said if a single meeting between Pawar and Shinde could unsettle the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, then it reflects that its foundation is weak.

Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), met MLAs of his party in Shinde's office at the Vidhan Bhavan complex in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Pawar was at the state legislature premises to attend a meeting as a member of the high-powered committee formed by the state government on the long-pending Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute. After attending the meeting, Pawar, whose party is a constituent of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), paid a "courtesy visit" to Shinde in his chamber.

Talking to reporters on Thursday, Raut said, "Sharad Pawar is a senior and respectable leader. The credibility of a senior leader lowers when he goes and holds such meetings under the roof of a traitor who brought down our government." Pawar's act of visiting Shinde's office amounted to glorification of traitors, he said.

"Holding party meeting in Shinde's office has disturbed Shiv Sena (UBT). It is hurtful," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

He accused Shinde of being the reason behind the "infestation of termites of corruption" in Maharashtra.

"Was the entire Vidhan Sabha unavailable (that Pawar had to hold a meeting Shinde's cabin)? Y B Chavan Pratisthan Rashtravadi Bhavan were also nearby," he said.

"This is the opinion of a loyal party worker. We are not so tolerant to allow holding meetings in traitors' offices. Our heart is not that big and we will not even do that," Raut said.

He further said it is Pawar's prerogative to do what he wants.

"This lowers the credibility on NCP (SP). We would not have held meetings of our party in (late) Ajit Pawar's office considering his dishonesty with Sharad Pawar. We would have followed the norm (of not holding party meeting in NCP leaders' meeting," Raut said.

Even the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties should follow that norm, he said.

He said he would raise the issue with Pawar, and also expressed confidence that the veteran leader will not align with the NDA.

Reacting to Raut's criticism, NCP (SP) spokesperson Amol Matele said the Sena (UBT) leader should understand "power politics", and sought to know why he was upset over the Pawar-Shinde meeting.

"Advising a leader with over 50 years of political experience not to give respect to traitors is like teaching the sea how to swim," he said in a statement.

Defending the meeting, he said Shinde holds a constitutional office, and Pawar, as a senior statesman, is expected to engage in discussions on issues concerning Maharashtra, including the border dispute, drought, reservation and development.

"When dialogue stops, politics ends," it said, adding that there was no question of Pawar conferring legitimacy on anyone by meeting Shinde.

He also accused Raut of adopting double standards, saying Pawar's meetings with him and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray were earlier hailed as "political statesmanship", while his meeting with Shinde was now being criticised as giving "respect to traitors".

Matele also said the political judgment of Pawar, who played a key role in forming the MVA in 2019, should not be questioned.

"Politics runs on arithmetic, not emotions," the statement said, adding that if a single meeting between Pawar and Shinde could unsettle the opposition alliance, it reflected the fragility of its foundations.

It also remarked that there was a big difference between writing editorials in 'Saamana' and practising politics on the ground, and that leaders often have to shake hands with political rivals.

'Saamana' is the mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (UBT), and Raut is its executive editor.

Urging Raut to stop claiming that his "feelings have been hurt", the statement said people were tired of such daily remarks.

"Let Pawar do his politics and you take care of your fragmented Sena. Instead of feeling hurt, ensure your own political footing remains strong," it added.