Will Sharad Pawar welcome estranged nephew Ajit Pawar back to his party? NCP (SP) chief says 'I will first...'

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said a decision on the potential entry of any leader in his party will be a collective one, refusing to confirm whether Ajit Pawar will be accommodated if he chooses to come back.

Sharad Pawar spoke on multiple issues during his interaction with reporters in Pune when he was asked whether his estranged nephew and current Deputy Chief Minister in the Mahayuti government will be welcomed back into the party.

Responding to a query, the Pawar senior said everyone has a place in the "house".

When reporters specifically asked if Ajit Pawar has a place in the NCP (SP), Sharad Pawar said, "Such decisions cannot be taken at the personal level. My colleagues who stood by me during the crisis will be asked first".

Ajit Pawar split the NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, in July 2023 when he led some MLAs loyal to him to join the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government, also comprising the Shiv Sena and BJP.

Ajit also secured the party name and poll symbol- the watch- from the Election Commission.

Speculations about unrest in the Ajit Pawar camp started doing rounds after the NCP led by him lost three of the four seats it contested in recent Lok Sabha elections.

The NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar scored an impressive victory by winning 8 out of 10 constituencies it contested in alliance with Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).

The Pawar senior recently admitted that some MLAs from the breakaway NCP led by Ajit Pawar had met his party's senior leader Jayant Patil.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)

READ | Maharashtra political crisis: Ajit Pawar's NCP faces major setback, top leaders resign to join Sharad Pawar