Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar Group) Member of Parliament Sunil Tatkare on Tuesday evening, 12 May, met Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) President Sharad Pawar at the latter's Mumbai residence, Silver Oak — the first such meeting between the two since the NCP split in July 2023. Tatkare maintained the visit was purely a health inquiry, but the timing has set political circles buzzing amid a significant internal reshuffle that has sidelined veteran party heavyweights.

What Tatkare Said

Tatkare was categorical that no political discussions took place during the visit. He stated he had sought an appointment because Sharad Pawar had been unwell for several days and he wished to check on the veteran leader's health. He specifically noted that Sunetra Pawar's recent posts on X regarding the national executive restructuring or the party split were not raised during the meeting. Tatkare reaffirmed his commitment to continuing work under Sunetra Pawar's leadership.

The Reshuffle That Sparked the Controversy

The visit comes against the backdrop of significant internal turbulence within the NCP (Ajit Pawar Group). An executive list dated 29 April reportedly omitted the names of senior stalwarts — Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Tatkare, and Dilip Walse Patil — from key national positions, sparking immediate speculation about an internal purge or a strategic realignment in favour of the Pawar family's next generation.

In the newly constituted national executive, Sunetra Pawar has been named National President, her elder son and Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar has been designated National General Secretary, and her younger son Jai Pawar has been appointed National Secretary. Notably, Tatkare — who previously served as National General Secretary — has been designated as the NCP leader in the Lok Sabha, while Praful Patel has been inducted as the NCP leader in the Rajya Sabha, with no mention of him as national working president in the documents submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Sunetra Pawar Moves to Contain Fallout

As the executive list went viral on social media, Sunetra Pawar moved quickly to quell the controversy. In a post on X, she clarified that the discrepancies were not intentional. "There is a technical error in the list of Nationalist Congress Party office-bearers currently circulating in the media. It will be corrected soon," she stated. However, in the three-page document submitted to the ECI, the senior leaders' former designations were not restored, deepening questions about whether the omissions were truly accidental.

Sharad Pawar Raises Economic Concerns

Separately, Sharad Pawar expressed concern over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeal to citizens for austerity, warning of potential long-term impacts on the national economy. He urged the Prime Minister to convene an all-party meeting and consult economists to restore confidence among citizens, industries, and investors. Citing the unstable situation in West Asia, he argued that decisions on matters of national interest must involve all political leaders and renowned economists.

Senior NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Jayant Patil also reacted, criticising Chief Ministers, ministers, and officials for travelling in convoys of dozens of vehicles even as the government appealed for fuel austerity. Patil demanded that the ruling party lead by example by reducing the number of vehicles in their personal and official convoys.

What to Watch

The symbolic weight of Tatkare's visit to Silver Oak — the first cross-faction meeting since the July 2023 split — will be closely parsed by observers tracking whether the NCP (Ajit Pawar Group)'s internal tensions deepen or stabilise. The correction of the executive list, if and when it comes, will be the next key signal.