NCP's Sharad Pawar Meets Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had a half-hour meeting with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar this evening.

Pawar's visit is the first since Shinde became Chief Minister after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed. It has set off much speculation, with its agenda still unclear.

Shinde took to Twitter to share the news and posted videos of the meeting. He wrote, "Today, the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, Shri @PawarSpeaks, visited the rainy or governmental residence and extended his warm wishes."

Pawar said he held a discussion with the CM to organise a meeting to address the issues faced by actors and people associated with the Marathi film industry and theatres.

Amidst the ongoing alliance between Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, and the Congress, a recent meeting has sparked speculation of potential discord within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

The meeting also holds particular importance as Uddhav Thackeray, the former Chief Minister and a prominent member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, is currently out of the country on a holiday. Thackeray is currently enjoying a vacation with his family and is anticipated to return to Mumbai in early June.

Speculation is also rife that the purpose of this meeting could be linked to either the impending cabinet expansion or the ongoing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into NCP leaders.

Earlier, there were reports suggesting that NCP leader and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, might consider joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, Ajit Pawar swiftly dismissed these rumors, affirming his commitment to the NCP and his intention to continue working with the party.