Sharad Pawar meets PM Modi ahead of Parliament session, amid Sena-Congress war of words

In a major development, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar held an hour-long meeting with PM Modi on Saturday to discuss 'various issues iof national interest', ahead of the Parliament's Monsoon Session. This meeting comes a day after Pawar's meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with ex-Defence Minister AK Antony. The two former defence ministers were briefed by CDS  Gen. Bipin Rawat & Army Chief Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane on the ongoing conflict over the Sino-Indian border dispute, clarifying the two ministers' doubts. This flurry of meetings comes amid a war of words between NCP,  Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra and the Centre's plan to take up 23 bills in parliament for passage.

Pawar meets Modi

Pawar's meeting with Modi comes days after the NCP Supremo refuted reports of eyeing the Presidential post. It is absolutely false that I will be a candidate for the Presidential election. I know what will be the result, given the party that has more than 300 MPs," said Pawar. The 80-year-old veteran is also being projected as a contender for PM post in 2024 with strategist Prashant Kishor recently meeting many non-BJP leaders.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole irked his allies again by repeating that 'Sharad Pawar is govt's remote control'. Rebuking ally Shiv Sena without naming them, Patole said any 'outsider' must look into their own party before commenting on him. Incidentally, senior Congress leaders like HK Patil, Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat met with Pawar assuring him that Nana Patole's statements won't be repeated.

Since taking over from Thorat at state Congress president, Patole has repeatedly asserted that his party will win a majority on its own in the next Assembly election. Stressing that many people are miffed over the Congress' "growing influence" in the state, he has also claimed that Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar are tracking his moves. He has also lashed out at NCP alleging that the Congress was cheated in 2014 and hence was preparing for 2024 keeping that in mind, referring to NCP's external support to the Fadnavis govt in 2014 until Sena and BJP reconcilled. In retaliation to Patole's words, Sena opined that the saffron party and NCP can decide its future course.

Sena & Congress-NCP

Sena has often clashed with its ideological polar opposite Congress since the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance over issues like Hindutva, CAA, NRC, Ram Janmabhoomi, Savarkar, COVID-19 etc, with NCP playing the peacemaker. Several ministers from NCP and Congress have accused Uddhav Thackeray of depending more on bureaucrats than his alliance partners, alleging that they were being 'sidelined'. Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, minister Ashok Chavan have openly stated that the party has had no say in any of the decisions being taken by the Thackeray government. All three allies have maintained that the alliance is safe, but BJP has often asserted that the MVA govt will fall on its own.