Now Reading: Prashant Kishor meets Sunetra Pawar again, fuels Maharashtra speculation
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Prashant Kishor meets Sunetra Pawar again, fuels Maharashtra speculation
Prashant Kishor meets Sunetra Pawar again, fuels Maharashtra speculation
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, fresh from his bypoll win in Bihar's Bankipur, met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar at her official residence in Mumbai for five hours…
The Story in Brief
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, fresh from his bypoll win in Bihar's Bankipur, met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar at her official residence in Mumbai for five hours on Thursday. This is their second meeting in three months, the first having taken place in May. NCP spokesperson Suraj Chavan said Kishor is advising the party on organisational rebuilding and that the meeting covered how to strengthen the party and take development programmes to the grassroots.
However, the meeting has fuelled speculation of a rift in the ruling Mahayuti alliance. BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule publicly advised Sunetra Pawar not to take any step that might cause a rift. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he had no official information about any appointment of Kishor. NCP state president Sunil Tatkare dismissed talk of his removal, calling it a mere courtesy meeting. The NCP is reportedly keen on Kishor's expertise amid rumoured attempts to bring the Sharad Pawar faction back into the NDA.
The Indian Opinion
The usual hyperventilating about a 'secret strategy meeting' ignores the simplest explanation: two family friends catching up after an election victory. The speculation is driven more by the BJP's unease at Kishor's Bankipur win than any concrete move. The real test will be whether NCP actually sidelines Tatkare or Praful Patel in favour of Kishor. Until that happens, this is a meeting, not a coup. Watch for any official statement from Parth Pawar, his previous tweet said Kishor was just a friend.
Sources (2): indiatoday.in, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
