Even as infighting within the State unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has hit its crescendo, all eyes are now on a scheduled meeting between party chief Sharad Pawar and NCP State president P.C. Chacko in New Delhi on Thursday.
While the dissidents seek to highlight the event as part of an attempt by Mr. Pawar to negotiate a way towards settling the issue, the State leadership maintains it as a routine organisational affair. The meeting, however, comes at a crucial time with the two factions openly facing off each other and the old guard fiercely attempting to put the brakes on a perceived attempt by Mr. Chacko to take complete control of the State unit.
While Mr. Pawar, along with NCP general secretary Praful Patel, is slated to meet Mr. Chacko on March 3 morning, the rebel faction led by NCP national secretary N.A. Muhammad Kutty is most likely to meet the duo later in the same day or the following morning.
