On Monday, thousands queued up to meet Sharad Pawar in his hometown Baramati.
The NCP supremo is back in the news after leading his party to a decent showing in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly Elections. Pawar’s NCP held their own in the elections, ending up with 45 seats. His rain-soaked image was hailed as the picture of iconic defiance and went some way in halting the BJP-Sena juggernaut in the state.
Pawar’s meet-and-greet at Baramati is an annual affair and his daughter Supriya Sule represents the constituency in Lok Sabha. Observers have wondered whether Sharad Pawar could queer the pitch by going with Sena, but Pawar ruled it out.
A couple of days earlier he said: "I would like to clear that no decision has been taken regarding backing Shiv Sena for the Chief Minister post and going with them... We have our own friends in Maharashtra and we will walk with them and support them only... We are firm on our decisions. NCP, Congress and other allies will decide together on the future course of action and we will not go with Shiv Sena," he added.
