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A meeting between Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, his daughter and MP Supriya Sule, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday has sparked fresh political speculation, coming at a time when the Opposition is intensifying its campaign against the government during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The high-profile meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office drew attention as Opposition MPs staged protests outside Parliament over various issues. Photographs released after the meeting showed the veteran Maharashtra leader and the Prime Minister sharing a cordial exchange, smiling and discussing documents. In another image, Modi was seen personally receiving Pawar at the entrance to his office.
According to the NCP (SP), the meeting focused on farmers’ concerns and irrigation-related issues. Pawar submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister outlining the challenges facing the country’s farming community and seeking government intervention to address them.
Despite the party’s explanation, the timing of the meeting has fuelled speculation over the evolving political equations ahead of the government’s expected move to introduce the Delimitation Bill during the ongoing Parliament session.
The Centre is reportedly seeking broad political consensus, including the support of Opposition parties, to secure the two-thirds majority required to pass the proposed constitutional amendment. In that context, the eight Members of Parliament belonging to the NCP (SP) are considered strategically significant.
Last week, Supriya Sule had indicated that her party could consider supporting the proposed legislation if the government provided a written assurance that parliamentary constituencies across the country would see a uniform 50 per cent increase in seats.
“Give the 50 per cent seats increase condition on paper, then we will discuss,” Sule had told reporters.
The meeting has also revived speculation about the possibility of closer ties between Sharad Pawar’s faction and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Political circles in Maharashtra have witnessed renewed discussions in recent weeks following interactions between leaders of the rival NCP factions and senior leaders of the ruling alliance.
However, according to sources familiar with the BJP’s position, the party is not considering bringing Sharad Pawar’s faction into the NDA independently. Instead, the BJP is said to favour a reunification of the two rival NCP factions before any formal alliance is explored.
The NCP split in 2023 after Ajit Pawar broke away from his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the BJP-led government in Maharashtra. Since then, the two factions have remained politically divided while continuing to compete for the party’s legacy.
Sources indicated that the BJP believes any future engagement with the NCP should involve the party as a united entity rather than through individual leaders or factions.
Against this backdrop, Wednesday’s meeting has acquired considerable political significance. The interaction between the Prime Minister and one of the senior-most leaders of the Opposition on a day marked by coordinated Opposition protests has prompted fresh debate over possible political realignments, although neither side has indicated any change in its political position.
For now, both the BJP and the NCP (SP) have maintained that the meeting was centred on issues affecting farmers, but observers say its broader political implications are likely to remain a subject of discussion in the days ahead.