Why Did Sharad Pawar Meet Eknath Shinde? Courtesy Call or Political Signal?

Veteran leader Sharad Pawar holding a party meeting in Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's office in Mumbai has turned into a flashpoint between Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), with both opposition allies on Thursday (July 9, 2026), targeting each other over the development.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said his party was disturbed and hurt with Mr. Pawar's meeting in Mr. Shinde's office, and stressed that such acts lower the credibility of a senior leader like him. He added that the meeting amounted to ‘glorification of traitors’.

The NCP (SP) hit back at Mr. Raut in strong words, accusing him of adopting ‘double standards’ and reminding him that Mr. Pawar's meetings with him and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray were earlier hailed as ‘political statesmanship’.