Meeting Sharad Pawar at educational body's event Why rake up old issues Ajit Pawar asks scribes

Mumbai, Apr 13 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar berated reporters for "raking up old issues" after they asked him about his attending a meeting with NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar.
Sharad Pawar and NCP chief Ajit Pawar attended the managing council meeting of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha on Saturday in Satara's Chhatrapati Shivaji College. The two were seated next to each others in the presence of NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil and Congress' Vishwajit Kadam.
The Sharad Pawar-founded party split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar joined the then Eknath Shinde government. The two factions, NCP of Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) headed by Sharad Pawar, have been engaged in an acrimonious tussle since then and any meeting between uncle and nephew has been part of the state's political talk.
"I don't know why you rake up old issues again. The institution (Rayat Shikshan Sanstha) belongs to all. Saheb (Sharad Pawar) heads it. I was called for the meeting and, hence, it is my duty to attend the meeting," the Deputy CM told reporters.
Sharad Pawar is the president of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, which was founded by Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil in 1919.
This was the second time this week that the two leaders were seen together. Sharad Pawar on Thursday attended the engagement ceremony of Ajit Pawar’s younger son Jay Pawar near Pune.

Speaking about the meeting, Sharad Pawar had said the managing council decided to launch a monthly magazine titled 'Rayat' with the aim of including diverse and informative articles on topics like education, science, technology, health, literature, sports, social issues, art, culture, and global affairs.
Besides, it was also decided to start courses on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, and 3D Printing, he said on Saturday.
"It has been decided to start a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in Satara. I, as the president of the organisation, thank all the members of the Managing Council for their cooperation,” Sharad Pawar had said.
In the 2024 state polls, Ajit Pawar's NCP won 41 seats in the 288-Maharashtra assembly, while NCP (SP) emerged victorious on just 10 seats.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)