Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar's meeting with political strategist and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor soared political temperatures in state politics. Following this meeting, the BJP, the main party in the state's ruling Mahayuti government, cautioned the NCP, reminding it of the norms of coalition.
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule advised Sunetra not to take any action that could create distrust or shake the alliance.
Why The Meeting Matters
It should be noted that Kishor recently defeated the BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha in the Bankipur by-election in Bihar. His visit to Sunetra's official residence, Devgiri, in Mumbai, immediately after victory in the BJP chief Nitin Nabin's bastion, has created a buzz in political circles.
NCP party officials have confirmed this meeting, although no official disclosure has been made about what transpired between the two leaders.
It is noteworthy that this is Kishor's second meeting with Sunetra Pawar since the death of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. After the first meeting, his son, Parth Pawar, had stated that Kishor was an old acquaintance of the family.
BJP's Blunt Reaction On The Meeting
The meeting has become a topic of discussion in Maharashtra politics because the BJP has taken a firm stance on the matter, stating that while this may be an internal matter of any party, no action should be taken while remaining in the Mahayuti (alliance) that may raise suspicions among allies.
"The party stressed that all parties in the alliance must strictly adhere to the Mahayuti's code of conduct. There should be no room for any kind of discord or distrust within the alliance," the BJP said.