Krishna Shastri aka Bageshwar Baba, triggered a major controversy after claiming that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj once surrendered his crown to Samarth Ramdas Swami. His additional comments on Hindu families having four children also added to the backlash

The unification of the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar and the NCP, headed by the late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, was in advanced stages; the MLA visited the NCP office in Thane to pay floral tributes to the departed leader