Pawar’s Meeting in Shinde’s Office Irks Shiv Sena (UBT)

Mumbai: A meeting between Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) founder Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the State Legislature on Wednesday triggered a fresh political controversy, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accusing Mr. Pawar of lending legitimacy to the leader who “toppled” the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Mr. Raut said it was inappropriate for Mr. Pawar to hold a meeting of his party legislators in the office of the “traitor”, asserting that such actions could dent the credibility of a senior leader and had hurt Shiv Sena (UBT) workers.

Mr. Pawar visited the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday to attend a meeting of the high-powered committee constituted by the State government to address the long-pending Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute. After the meeting, he held a meeting with NCP (SP) MLAs in the office of the Deputy Chief Minister at the Vidhan Bhavan.

Mr. Shinde later met Mr. Pawar in the same chamber for a brief courtesy call after learning that the veteran leader was there.

Mr. Raut questioned why the meeting had to be held in Mr. Shinde’s chamber when other venues were available. “Was the entire Vidhan Bhavan unavailable except Mr. Shinde’s chamber? Mr. Pawar could have held the meeting at Y.B. Chavan Pratishthan or Rashtravadi Bhavan, both of which are close to the Vidhan Bhavan,” he said.

“Had we been in his place, we would not have held a meeting in Ajit Dada’s chamber. What Sharad Pawar chooses to do is a matter for his party. But coming to Eknath Shinde’s chamber and holding a meeting of your party is an act that has hurt the Shiv Sena (UBT). Our hearts are not that big, and we would never do that,” Mr. Raut said.

Defending the decision to hold the meeting in Mr. Shinde’s office, senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil said the chamber was chosen purely for convenience as it was located close to the entrance and staircase. “Since Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office is near the entrance, party leaders requested Mr. Pawar to hold the meeting there. Sanjay Raut’s objection to the venue is not appropriate. There is no question about Mr. Pawar’s credibility. Everyone in the country meets him and speaks with him,” Mr. Patil said.

Responding to the criticism, Mr. Shinde dismissed Mr. Raut’s remarks, saying he attached no importance to them.

“When I came to know that Mr. Pawar was in my chamber, I personally went there to welcome him. I merely had a brief courtesy interaction with him over tea and then left. We may have political differences, but ideological differences do not amount to personal enmity. Those who see politics even in such a gesture, and who stoop so low as to criticise a senior leader of their own alliance partner, only reveal their own mindset,” Mr. Shinde said.