Ajit Pawar shares stage with uncle Sharad Pawar: Here's what happened minutes earlier - WATCH

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar with NCP(SP) president Sharad Pawar. (File Photo: PTI)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Thursday shared stage for the second time in a month. The wo leaders were in Pune to attend the annual general body meeting of Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI), a national-level research institute for sugar headed by Pawa Sr where Dilip Walse Patil, a former minister and leader of the Ajit Pawar faction, is the vice president.

The Pawars and other leaders came on the stage after the meeting of the VSI governing body. As per the original seating arrangement, the deputy CM and his uncle were to be seated next to each other.

However, as soon as Ajit Pawar arrived on stage, he exchanged the nameplates to avoid siting with his uncle. The two leaders were originally set to be seated next to each other. However, Ajit changed the nameplates to ensure that he was seated next to Minister of Cooperation Babasaheb Patil.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar and Dy CM Ajit Pawar shared stage during the annual general meeting of Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Pune. pic.twitter.com/38LdkF8u71
ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2025

Unlike their previous appearance together, both leaders mentioned each other in their speeches. The last time the duo was publicly seen together was at the inaugural event of the '2025 Agriculture Festival' in Baramati earlier this month. While Ajit mentioned his uncle during his speech at that event, Sharad Pawar did not oblige in kind.

Relations between the two relatives have been strained following Ajit's rebellion and the subsequent split in the Nationalist Congress Party. The split has also strained the dynamics within the Pawar family.

Sharad Pawar's daughter and NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule was also present at the event along with Ajit Pawar's wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar. However, the two limited their exchange to a few polite smiles.

Speaking to reporters after the event, Ajit responded to questions about changing the nameplates and said there was nothing much to read into.

"This can’t be news. Babasaheb Patil has become the cooperation minister for the first time and wanted to speak to Pawar Saheb. So, I asked the seating arrangements to be changed," Ajit said.

After a long spell of acrimony within the family, signs of a thaw appeared post elections after Ajit was appointed the Deputy Chief Minister. Ajit Pawar and his family also visited Sharad Pawar's residence last month to greet him on his birthday.

The elections had also triggered demands for a reunification of the two factions of the NCP after the Sharad Pawar faction faced a major setback at the hands of Ajit's faction. However, there has been no significant movement on the issue after Sharad Pawar dismissed the buzz as pure speculation.