The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar had a closed door meeting at an industrialist's residence in Pune in August to discuss the possibility of avoiding a formal split in the NCP, weeks after the latter joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, a senior NCP leader said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.

The Sharad Pawar faction state unit president Jayant Patil said avoiding a split in the 24-year-old party after Ajit Pawar's switch to the ruling camp was the sole agenda of the 'secret' meeting, as per the PTI.