Rumours, speculation grip NCP | Making a Pawar point

Top NCP leaders deny any realignment with the BJP, but their recent moves suggest they are keeping their options open in case of a political exigency

In June 2022, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who was the urban development minister in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by his party president Uddhav Thackeray, sprung a surprise by walking out with 39 other Sena legislators. He later became the chief minister in a coalition government with the BJP. Ten months later, there is speculation whether the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of the MVA’s rainbow coalition, may see another ‘Shinde’ emerge from its ranks.