Buzz Over Pawar-Ajit Secret Meet: Allies demand NCP chief to clarify

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has demanded Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar to "clarify" reports of his meeting with Ajit Pawar.

The "secret meeting" reportedly took place over a month after Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy Chief Minister.

The Congress leader was reacting to reports that Sharad Pawar held a "secret meeting" with his nephew at the house of an industrialist in Koregaon Park area of Mumbai.

"We do not know whether a meeting did take place between the two leaders, but visuals shown by a section of media have raised doubts. If this has happened it will not remain a secret for long. Either of them will have to come out with the truth," Chavan said. The Congress leader added that "allied partners must get official information about such meetings to clear confusion".

Just days ago, Sharad Pawar told Election Commission that Ajit Pawar's demand for the Nationalist Congress Party's election symbol is "premature" and "malafide" and should be rejected. His 'petition' to the Election Commission "does not reflect or evidence the presence of two factions of NCP," they have contended.

On July 2, Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy CM along with eight other NCP legislators as cabinet ministers.