Ajit Pawar again reined-in; attends Iftar party where NCP chief slams BJP | 10 points

with Ajit Pawar on Tuesday night attended the NCP's Iftar party in Mumbai with uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter MP Supriya Sule after a day-long drama speculating rifts in the Nationalist Congress Party. At the Iftar party, Sharad Pawar criticised the 'ruling forces' that inculcate the habit of taking the law in the hand. Without mentioning UP and the encounter of Asad Ahmad, the son of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, Sharad Pawar said there is an attempt to create an atmosphere that this is the right thing to do, and this is not good for the country. Read | Pawar vs Pawar redux: Did uncle best the nephew again?

NCP drama over speculation that Ajit Pawar will support BJP: 10 points

1. Before the Iftar party where Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar were seen together, there was intense speculation that Ajit Pawar was up to some different political plan. In 2019, Ajit Pawar had extended support to the BJP.

2. The apparent rift is believed to have resulted from a power tussle inside NCP between Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule.

3. With the rumours of Ajit Pawar breaking away a faction of the NCP, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Uddhav Thackeray and UBT Sena MP Sanjay Eait held a conference call. Ajit Pawar was not present.

4. Some NCP MLAs met Ajit Pawar and assured Ajit of their support -- whatever decision he takes.

5. Sharad Pawar dismissed the speculations and said there was no meeting convened by Ajit Pawar.

6. Ajit Pawar too came out with a statement clarifying that he would work for the NCP till he is alive.

7. "I have not taken the signatures of any MLAs. Now, all rumours must stop," Ajit Pawar said. "There are some media reports saying that I have convened a meeting of the (NCP) MLAs on Tuesday. This is completely false. I wish to clarify that I have not called a meeting of my party MLAs and office bearers," Ajit Pawar said.

8. Reports say though the top NCP leadership glossed over the speculations of the rift, Sharad Pawar was aware of the parleys between Ajit Pawar and the BJP and his meeting with the NCP MLAs.

9. It was Sharad Pawar who weighed Ajit Pawar down and quelled the fledgling rebellion in the party.

10. Sharad Pawar's aides started contacting the party MLAs and they were told that if they take any sudden decision, they will have to face the disqualification case like Shinde's MLAs are facing.