Ajit Pawar skips NCP meet, keeps party guessing on his next move

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New Delhi, April 21

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar’s absence from a party’s convention in Mumbai on Friday has raised eyebrows in political circles as speculation about his next political move refuses to die down.

Speaking to the media in Pune, Pawar played down the buzz saying that he was unable to attend the NCP meeting as he had to be present at some other programmes scheduled simultaneously.

The NCP also said Ajit Pawar’s inability to attend the party’s meeting did not mean he was planning to quit the organisation.

A lot of speculation is doing the rounds in Maharashtra’s political circles about the possibility of Ajit Pawar joining the state’s ruling BJP.

Rumours about his next political move started doing the rounds last week when he suddenly cancelled his scheduled meetings and also made comments that were seen as being soft on the BJP and CM Eknath Shinde’s camp. The BJP is part of the Shinde government.

Talking about Ajit’s absence at the meeting, NCP spokesman Clyde Crasto said the party’s Mumbai event was planned a month ago.

“Ajit dada has accepted invitations to several programmes in Pune. He expressed his inability to attend the NCP meet. All leaders have their schedules to follow. Just because he is unable to attend one function, it does not mean he is planning to quit. He, along with Sharad Pawar sa’ab, was present for an ‘iftar’ party earlier this week in Mumbai,” Crasto said.