Mumbai, Apr 21 (PTI) As three meetings between Sharad Pawar and his estranged nephew Ajit Pawar, who heads NCP, over a fortnight sparked speculation about their political reunion, Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday said the uncle-nephew duo has already come together.

Reacting to the buzz, MVA member Congress said such meetings may be held in the public interest, not necessarily for political reasons.

From the ruling camp, Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat said he won’t be surprised if the Pawars mend fences and join hands.

Political circles are abuzz with the rapprochement speculation since NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar shared the stage for the third time in a fortnight on Monday, this time to discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture and the sugar industry in Pune.

Ajit downplayed the political significance of these meetings, saying families come together on occasions like engagements, and there was no need to interpret them from any other perspective.

“Both Pawars have come together already. Have you seen us talking to Eknath Shinde (who rebelled in May 2022) or sharing a public platform with him? We won’t meet,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said.

Taking a jibe at NCP leadership, Raut said, “We don’t possess education and sugar institutions. We don’t have Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Vidya Pratisthan etc (mentored by Sharad Pawar)”.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the Pawars must be thinking that since there is a buzz of two cousins coming together, so what’s the harm in the uncle-nephew reunion? He was referring to the speculation of political rapprochement triggered by recent statements of estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray.

“Such meetings may be in the public interest and not necessarily for political reasons,” Wadettiwar said when asked about the latest interaction between Sharad and Ajit Pawar.

Shirsat said he won’t be surprised if the Pawars reunite.

“They have already given indications. Rohit Pawar (grand nephew of Sharad Pawar) used to criticise Ajit Pawar regularly, but now he is at Ajit’s feet,” the Shiv Sena leader said.

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said the meetings between the party chief Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar take place at different institutions to resolve issues regarding the cooperative and education sectors.

Relations between Sharad and Ajit Pawar strained after the latter engineered a split in NCP in July 2023 and joined the Mahayuti government. Several MLAs of NCP joined the Ajit Pawar camp, leaving the Pawar senior to battle the biggest political crisis of his life.

In the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, Ajit-led NCP bagged 41 of the 57 seats it contested, decimating the NCP (SP) faction’s tally to 10. PTI MR NSK