Will Always Come Together…”: Sharad Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal Share Stage

Pune:

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and disgruntled NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday shared a stage in Pune to mark the birth anniversary of legendary educationist and social reformer Savitribai Phule.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhujbal said many were “surprised” at the two sharing a stage but asserted “we will always come together for great personalities like Mahatma Phule, Shahu Maharaj and Babasaheb Ambedkar”.

The Nationalist Congress Party split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar, Bhujbal and several others joined the Eknath Shinde government.

The NCP name and ‘clock’ symbol was given to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar, while the one under Sharad Pawar was christened NCP (SP). The two parties have been bitter rivals since.

Bhujbal has been upset with his party, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, after he was not included in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet. In the days