17 July,2026 11:42 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Parth Pawar. File Photo
A meeting between Parth Pawar, the elder son of late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has triggered fresh political speculation in the state.
The meeting, held at the Chief Minister's official residence, Varsha, on Thursday night, came amid ongoing discussions over recent interactions between senior NCP leaders and the BJP leadership.
Neither the Chief Minister's Office nor the NCP has officially disclosed the agenda of the meeting. However, party leaders have denied reports of internal differences and maintained that the party remains united.
According to sources, Parth Pawar met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Varsha bungalow on Thursday evening. The discussion is believed to have centred on recent political developments following an earlier meeting between NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel with the Chief Minister.
The meeting reportedly surprised some leaders within the NCP, leading to speculation that party president Sunetra Pawar had sought clarification from Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare regarding the earlier interaction with Fadnavis.
Tatkare, however, denied that there was any political significance attached to the meeting and rejected suggestions of any misunderstanding within the party leadership.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Tatkare dismissed speculation that Sunetra Pawar had been kept uninformed about his meeting with Fadnavis.
"This is an internal party matter, and there is absolutely no room for double-mindedness. Sunetra Pawar is our National President. We regularly update her on all necessary developments. Our communication and tuning are excellent."
He said there was no rift within the party and that all important political developments are communicated to the party leadership.
Drawing a comparison with his long association with the late Ajit Pawar, Tatkare said the coordination within the party continues to remain smooth.
"However, whenever there is a political matter or something concerning the party, we discuss it comprehensively. Sunetra Pawar is always informed about political meetings beforehand, and a detailed briefing is given to her afterward," he explained, adding that having spent 40 years in politics, he is well-aware of political protocol.
Tatkare clarified that his meeting with Fadnavis should not be viewed through a political lens, saying it was primarily related to development works concerning his parliamentary constituency.
"I am a Member of Parliament, and I have various developmental works related to my constituency. I had some proposals that needed to be routed through the state government to Delhi. It is neither practical nor expected to inform everyone about routine administrative works."
He added that Praful Patel accompanied him because Patel was scheduled to travel abroad and wanted to complete discussions related to constituency matters before leaving.
Tatkare also said he had sought an appointment with the Chief Minister a day earlier, and the meeting coincided with the BJP Core Committee meeting.
Responding to reports that senior NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jayant Patil was present at Varsha during the meeting, Tatkare categorically denied the claim.
Speculation had emerged that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP could be exploring a possible alignment with the NDA after reports suggested Patil had met Fadnavis alongside Tatkare and Patel. NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule had earlier dismissed the reports.
Tatkare reiterated that there was no joint meeting.
"Jayant Patil was not present during our meeting with Devendra Fadnavis, nor did we meet him there. I fail to understand the logic behind the rumours that Jayant Patil joined us to demand the Finance portfolio. Jayant Rao has already clarified the purpose of his independent visit. He is a senior, self-made leader who has previously handled the state's finance ministry. Our meeting had absolutely no connection with his visit."
Tatkare also addressed questions regarding legal notices and earlier discussions on a possible party merger that had begun during Ajit Pawar's tenure.
He said those discussions had reached an advanced stage but were later halted following Ajit Pawar's death.
Tatkare announced that he, Parth Pawar and Praful Patel will travel to Delhi on Sunday to discuss the party's legal response to a notice issued by former national secretary Sachidanand Singh.
While the back-to-back meetings involving senior NCP leaders and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have fuelled political speculation, party leaders have maintained that there are no internal differences and that the interactions were either administrative or related to routine organisational matters.
