NCP president Sharad Pawar has denied backseat driving of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government. He said he wasn't the head master of the formation or did not remote control the CMO. He dismissed news reports that say there was a difference of opinion in the three parties.

Pawar said this in an extensive interview to the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna's executive editor and MP Sanjay Raut. The leader commented on the turn of events before and after 2019 polls and the leadership of Thackeray in the period of pandemic, which he said was different from his father's. He said Uddhav had a cautious style of functioning which reflected in the recent decision about easing lockdown. Pawar said he was in touch with the CM all through the lockdown, and keeps meeting him regularly to share his opinions. He said the lockdown relaxations came at the right time.