Amid the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s move to step up attacks against the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, the NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will share dais on Saturday for the launch of a slew of road projects in Ahmednagar.

Although the duo represents different parties and ideologies, Pawar and Gadkari enjoy proximity and support each other on development issues. Both have repeatedly said politics and development should not be mixed instead once the elections are over parties should work together to expedite the development process.

The function is organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and local BJP unit and in its invitation, Pawar’s name was not included. However, after Gadkari’s suggestion, Pawar was invited to the function. The Ahmednagar parliamentary constituency is represented by Sujay Vikhe-Patil who in the last Lok Sabha election defeated the NCP nominee.

Pawar and Vike-Patil family have been known rivals in state politics. Even though Sujay Vikhe-Patil had shown his desire to join NCP and contest the Lok Sabha poll on its ticket, he was not inducted. Then, Sujay joined BJP and won the poll.

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