MUMBAI: After about a fortnight of revolting against the party and joining the Shinde's Shiv Sena-BJP-led government in Maharashtra as the second Deputy chief minister, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar and other NCP ministers of his faction earlier this week met party president and 82-year-old veteran politician Sharad Pawar twice in two days at the Mumbai's YB Chavan Centre.

After the first unscheduled meeting between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, Ajit is said to have urged the uncle that the party should remain united and join the government for the good of everybody. Sources say that although senior Pawar heard him very patiently, he did not respond in any way. 

The following day besides Ajit Pawar, with nearly 15 NCP MLAs including ministers like Hasan Mushrif, Chhagan Bhujbal, Aditi Tatkare, Dilip Walse Patil and Senior NCP leader Praful Patel met Pawar senior again at the YB Chavan Centre in south Mumbai. They all again implored him to ensure the party stays united, but Sharad Pawar remained non-committed. 

Praful Patel who was known to be one of the close confidants of senior Pawars told reporters after the second meeting, "Today I along with Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare and others met Sharad Pawar, we came here without asking for any appointment, and we again requested him to keep the NCP united. He listened to us but did not say anything about it." 

Sources in the party said that Ajit Pawar and his rebel ministers have been over the past few days desperately trying to convince the NCP supremo into joining the NDA, however, he has not given any comments, except listening to them. Although he has publically made it clear that he cannot support the BJP and will continue with his "progressive politics" along with like-minded parties.  He later joined the opposition meeting in Bangalore and participated in the discussions held between the group.

After meeting Ajit Pawar and his group, Sharad Pawar in his address to NCP's youth wing workers, Pawar reaffirmed NCP's ideology of opposition to the divisive politics of the BJP and he urged the workers to stand firm on the principles of inclusivity, equality, secularism, and democracy.

Ajit Pawar has claimed that he has the support of around 40 of the 53 NCP MLAs but he would like to keep the flock together with the blessings of his uncle. 

When asked about the meeting, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis tried to play it down, saying that Sharad Pawar had led the party for 20 years and the meeting was no big deal.