MUMBAI: The frequent meetings between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar are tarnishing the image of senior Pawar, the Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed on Monday.
It is "amusing" to see Ajit Pawar frequently meeting (his uncle) Sharad Pawar and the latter is also not avoiding it, an editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.
"There is a hunch that BJP's 'Chanakya' is trying to create some confusion by sending Ajit to meet senior Pawar. However, such meetings tarnish the image of Sharad Pawar and it is not good," it said.
The comments came two days after a 'secret' meeting between Sharad Pawar and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is part of the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra and heads the group of rebel NCP MLAs, at the residence of a businessman in Pune caused a flutter.
Sharad Pawar, whose NCP is an ally of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress in the state, on Sunday said his party will not go with the BJP though some "well-wishers" are trying to persuade him.
He also said there was nothing wrong if his nephew Ajit Pawar meets him.
The editorial in 'Saamana' said, "This daily game of creation of confusion has now gone beyond the minds of people. The people have become numb to it because of the current political games," the Marathi daily said.
It said Congress state president Nana Patole has described meetings between the Pawars as amusing.
"We would like to add to it by saying Ajit Pawar's decision to join hands with the BJP in the Maharashtra government has made the biggest fun of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction," the editorial said.
Notably, MLA Sanjay Shirsat, who is Shinde's supporter, recently claimed the chief minister works for 24 hours and hence has fallen sick.
Referring to it, the Marathi publication said, "Shinde works for 24 hours, but it does not reflect anywhere in the state. If he has lost his sleep from the fear of losing his post anytime, it cannot be termed that he is working round-the-clock."
Whenever Shinde loses sleep, he goes to his native place in Satara and takes some rest. Ajit Pawar is being blamed for his ill health, it claimed.
Shinde's heartbeats have increased and his "mind has been unstable" since Ajit Pawar joined the government, it further claimed, adding that Ajit Pawar's frequent meetings with Sharad Pawar also started hurting their (Shinde faction's) "little brains."
"If Shirsat's claims are true, Shinde should be admitted to an ICU and kept away from meeting (Deputy CMs) Devendra Fadnavis or Ajit Pawar. Shinde should be admitted to a good hospital in Mumbai or Thane," the editorial said in sarcastic remarks.
There should be a health bulletin released about his current condition, it quipped.
It also targeted former CM Fadnavis, saying the one who said he would return to power is now currently working as the "deputy of outsiders."
The editorial further said nothing remains secret in the digital world.
"The speculation over a possible change of guard in Maharashtra took place when Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state some days back and Shinde's illness worsened. His faction should take this illness seriously," it said.
Maharashtra will rise from such "malady", but we make it clear that the state should not be taken as "some kind of a fun", it added.