The surprise invitation came in the backdrop of a split in the NCP, a party founded by veteran politician Sharad Pawar in 1999, and strained ties with his nephew Ajit Pawar, who parted ways with him and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in July last year.
In an unexpected move in Maharashtra politics, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar has reportedly sent an invitation to political figures from his rival camp including CM Eknath Shinde, deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for lunch at his Baramati residence in Baramati during their visit to his hometown on March 2.
On Saturday, all of Sharad Pawar's 'guests' will be attending a job fair, 'Namo Maharojgar Melava', in the premises of Vidya Pratishthan college in Baramati town of Pune district.
The surprise invitation came in the backdrop of a split in the NCP, a party founded by veteran politician Sharad Pawar in 1999, and strained ties with his nephew Ajit Pawar, who parted ways with him and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in July last year.
There are also talks to Ajit Pawar, who has got the NCP name and symbol following the split, thinking of fielding a candidate for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, currently represented by his cousin and Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule.
In the invitation (which is part of a letter dated February 28) extended to Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, the former Union minister stated that as parliamentarians, he and Sule would like to attend the official event in Baramati.
The Rajya Sabha MP, in the letter addressed to Shinde, said as president of Vidya Pratishthan, he would be glad to welcome the CM on the premises of the educational institute.
He urged Shinde along with Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to accept his invitation for a meal at his residence in Baramati, 'Govindbaug, after the event at Vidya Pratishthan.