Pawars share stage twice in a week amid political divide

Political adversaries Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar share stage, sparking speculation, despite remaining on opposite sides politically.

Now political adversaries, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) supremo Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar shared a stage on Saturday (April 12, 2025), marking their second joint public appearance this week. The senior Pawar and his nephew attended the Managing Council meeting of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha at Chhatrapati Shivaji College.

The two, who have been on the opposite sides of the political spectrum since Mr. Ajit Pawar’s 2023 defection to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, maintained a cordial demeanour at the event. This comes just days after Mr. Sharad Pawar attended the engagement ceremony of Mr. Ajit Pawar’s younger son Jay Pawar near Pune.

At the Satara meeting, the council approved several educational initiatives. Mr. Sharad Pawar, a former Union Minister, announced the launch of a monthly magazine, Rayat, which will publish content spanning education, science, technology, health, literature, sports, social issues, arts, culture, and global affairs.

The college also plans to introduce specialized courses in emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, and 3D Printing.

A ‘Center of Excellence’ will be established in Satara as part of the Sanstha’s efforts to modernize education. “I thank all council members for supporting these progressive initiatives,” said Mr. Sharad Pawar in a social media post following the meeting.  

The repeated public appearances of the politically estranged Pawars have sparked speculation about their personal equation even as they remain firmly on the opposite sides of Maharashtra’s political spectrum.