1 2 Pune: Two members of Mahayuti — Bachchu Kadu of Prahar Janshakti Party and Sanjay Kakade of BJP — on Saturday separately visited NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar ’s residence in the city, triggering speculations if they were exploring the possibility of switching to MVA. Both Kadu and Kakade later claimed that their meetings with Pawar were personal. But the timing of the meeting — just a few months before the assembly polls — drew a lot of attention.
Following the meeting, Kakade said he did not have any political discussions with Pawar. “I have had good relations with Pawar for the past 40 years, and it is beyond politics. Today (Saturday) also, I went there for some work for my friend.
There was no discussion on politics with him,” Kakade said. The former Rajya Sabha member from BJP has not been very active in the party’s activities in the state in the recent past. On whether his visit to Pawar’s residence would anger seniors in BJP, he said, “If people of my party do not trust me and connect my meeting (with Pawar) with politics, I do not care.
If my party asks me, I am ready to give an explanation.” Bachchu Kadu, the other member of Mahayuti meeting senior Pawar on Saturday, has been vocal against the alliance of late. He had openly opposed BJP’s candidate Navneet Rana in the Amravati constituency in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.
He also organised a rally demanding justice for the deprived sections of society, including divyangs (physically c.