Sharad Pawar Invites Maharashtra CM Shinde, Deputies Fadnavis And Ajit Pawar For Lunch On March 2

Sharad Pawar's surprise invitation to his rivals Shinde, Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis comes in the backdrop of a split in the NCP and strained ties with his nephew Ajit Pawar.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar arrives at party headquarters in Mumbai.

Source : PTI

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar has invited Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at lunch at his residence in Baramati during their visit to his hometown on Saturday (March 2). 

Shinde along with his deputies Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will be attending a job fair, 'Namo Maharojgar Melava', in the premises of Vidya Pratishthan college in Baramati town of Pune district, according to a report in PTI.

Sharad Pawar's surprise invitation to his rivals Shinde, Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis comes in the backdrop of a split in the NCP and strained ties with his nephew Ajit Pawar, who parted ways with him and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in July last year.

There are also reports of Ajit Pawar, who has got the NCP name and symbol, thinking of fielding a candidate, probably his wife Sunetra Pawar for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, which is currently held by Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule.

In the invitation sent on Wednesday, Sharad Pawar stated that as parliamentarians, he and Sule would like to attend the official event in Baramati.

The former Union Minister, in the letter addressed to Shinde, said as president of Vidya Pratishthan, he would be glad to welcome the CM on the premises of the educational institute.

He urged Shinde along with Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to accept his invitation for a meal at his residence in Baramati, 'Govindbaug, after the event at Vidya Pratishthan.

Earlier this month, the Election Commission recognised Ajit Pawar's faction as the real NCP and allotted the NCP symbol 'Wall Clock' to Ajit Pawar's faction.

The ECI noted that both factions were found to be working outside the party constitution and organisational elections. Consequently, the test of majority in the legislative wing favoured Ajit Pawar's faction.