Pawar, Ajit hold 'closed-door meet' in Pune, fan speculation

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) patriarch Sharad Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar, who broke ranks and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine, and senior party leader Jayant Patil held a closed-door meeting in Pune on Saturday, setting political circles abuzz, people aware of the matter said.

- Surendra P Gangan and Yogesh Joshi

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit, who was in Pune to inaugurate a bridge, went to the residence of industrialist Atul Chordia after the event without his official convoy, people aware of the developments said. They added that Pawar, who was also in the city to attend a function, left the event midway and went to the industrialist's house along with Patil.

"The meeting was a closed-door one between the three leaders, where they are believed to have discussed very serious issues that could have ramifications on state politics in the coming days," a senior NCP leader said on condition of anonymity. Chordia said that no such meet took place at his home and later stopped taking calls.