Former Union Minister Sharad Pawar joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar for the launch of the ‘Namo Rojgar Melava 2024’ in his stronghold of Baramati in Pune district, on March 2.
The senior Pawar’s attendance marked the end of a series of events, starting with his omission from the initial guest list.
He recently invited the Chief Minister and his two deputies for a meal, which Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis declined due to prior commitments. However, Mr. Ajit Pawar, the 84-year-old leader’s bitter rival after the split in the Nationalist Congress Party in July last year, response remained undisclosed.
Chief Minister Shinde, addressing a busy schedule, promised a future visit to Mr. Pawar in Baramati.
Downplaying the invite and his declining it, he said, “If someone comes close to your home, you are bound to invite him over.”
Despite the controversy surrounding Mr. Sharad Pawar’s formal invitation to the job fair, considering his long-standing representation of Baramati, he participated as a Rajya Sabha MP.
Other participants for the programme included State Ministers Dilip Walse Patil, Uday Samant, and Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, the daughter of Mr. Sharad Pawar.
