Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the latter's residence in Mumbai on July 6 and said Mr. Pawar's support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will "further weaken" the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Mr. Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (A), said it was a courtesy visit after Mr. Pawar became the Deputy CM of the State.
Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (Nationalist Congress Party) to become Deputy Chief Minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government.