NCP may not invite Fadnavis in future events: Ajit Pawar

The NCP may not invite Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the party events to honour its stalwarts to ensure that there is no "misconception" among the masses, senior leader Ajit Pawar said today.
"We had invited the Chief Minister previously to honour some of our leaders. Questions were then raised about the issue. Hence the party leadership will decide if the CM should be invited to our events," Ajit Pawar told reporters here.
Clarifying that the party does not have any dispute with the chief minister, he said it is the NCP's "culture" to give best wishes to one another at social events.

"However, this should not cause misconception among people. Hence, we may not invite Fadnavis in future party events," he added.
However, Ajit Pawar, nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, didn't mention about the nature of "misconceptions" though they are perceived to be about a tacit political understanding, if any, with the ruling BJP.
At a function held in Nagpur last month to felicitate Sharad Pawar for completing 50 years as a Parliamentarian, Fadnavis had hailed him as a "very magnanimous opponent".

Ajit Pawar termed as "shameful" the death of robbery accused Aniket Kothale in the custody of the Sangli Police earlier this month.

"If the government cannot control the police, who should the common man look up to?" he questioned.
The state government yesterday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of Kothale.