Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Deputy CM Eknath Shinde sparks Maharashtra alliance row

Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the state legislature’s assembly chamber on July 10, 2026. The meeting, described by Pawar and Deputy CM as a brief courtesy visit, sparked a fresh political controversy within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule dismissed the dispute, calling it a “storm in a tea cup” and reaffirming that all eight NCP MPs remain united, rejecting claims of a shift toward the NDA. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, however, condemned the encounter, accusing Pawar of legitimising a “traitor” who helped topple the MVA government and warning that the meeting could damage Pawar’s credibility.

Senior NCP members, including Jayant Patil, defended the venue choice as a matter of convenience, while Shinde brushed aside the criticism as political rhetoric. The episode adds to existing tensions over the Maharashtra‑Karnataka border dispute and broader alliance cohesion.