The meeting, scheduled at her Devgiri residence, follows discussions in New Delhi involving prominent figures from the NCP organisation previously led by her late husband, Ajit Pawar. Party officials insist the delegation’s visit was authorised and deny suggestions of a leadership rebellion.
Among those who met Shah were Praful Patel, Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, and senior politicians Dilip Walse-Patil and Dhananjay Munde. Sunetra Pawar and her son, Rajya Sabha member Parth Pawar, did not attend.
The absence of the two prompted questions about divisions within the party, although its leadership maintains that the engagement was planned in advance. Accounts from people familiar with the discussions suggest that organisational decision-making, consultation with senior figures and relations with the ruling Mahayuti alliance were raised.
Tatkare rejected suggestions that the delegation represented a dissident group. He said the party remained united and that the meeting with Shah had been arranged beforehand. The NCP has also disputed claims that Sunetra Pawar and Parth were deliberately excluded.
National spokesperson Umesh Patil said Sunetra Pawar had herself requested time for senior colleagues to meet Shah during an earlier interaction with the home minister. He described suggestions of deliberate exclusion and internal confrontation as an attempt to create a misleading impression about the organisation.
Tuesday’s gathering is expected to bring together NCP legislators and senior office-bearers, providing an opportunity for Sunetra Pawar to address questions about coordination and organisational priorities. Attendance and statements emerging from the meeting could indicate the extent of agreement among the party’s elected representatives, although no formal leadership contest has been announced.
Senior figures held further consultations in Mumbai after returning from Delhi. The sequence of meetings has drawn attention to the distribution of authority within the party following Ajit Pawar’s death in January and Sunetra Pawar’s subsequent assumption of its leadership.
Another issue under discussion is the party’s position within the Maharashtra government headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Some NCP leaders have pressed for the return of the finance portfolio, which Ajit Pawar held before his death and which subsequently passed to the BJP.
Differences have also surfaced over appointments and representation in government. Questions surrounding Cabinet vacancies, the selection of organisational office-bearers and consultation with established leaders have added to concerns about how decisions are taken. No official party resolution confirming a challenge to Sunetra Pawar has been made public.
The possibility of bringing together the NCP and the separate organisation associated with Sharad Pawar has featured in political discussions. Some accounts of the Delhi engagement suggested that a merger and its implications for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were considered, but the NCP has not announced any agreement.
Tatkare said discussions about a merger had ended, seeking to distinguish speculation about reunification from the party’s immediate organisational business. Leaders associated with the Sharad Pawar camp have likewise not announced a decision to join the governing alliance.
The competing accounts matter because the NCP is a constituent of the Mahayuti government alongside the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. Its internal arrangements influence the coordination of ministers and legislators within the coalition, even as its leaders publicly emphasise unity.
Shah’s participation has added a national dimension to what party representatives describe as routine consultations between alliance partners. The home minister has not publicly announced any intervention in the NCP’s leadership structure or endorsed a particular faction within it.
For Sunetra Pawar, Tuesday’s meeting offers a forum to hear legislators directly and discuss the party’s next organisational steps. The party has indicated that strengthening its structure and improving coordination will form part of the agenda.
The dispute over consultation has also drawn attention to the roles of experienced party figures who supported Ajit Pawar when the organisation split in 2023. Their continued participation in government and party affairs remains important to maintaining coordination across constituencies and administrative responsibilities.
The gathering is scheduled for Tuesday evening in Mumbai, with legislators and senior organisational figures invited to attend. Details of any decisions taken are expected to emerge only after the discussions.
