New Delhi, Aug 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the reception of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s granddaughter in Lutyens’ Delhi has added fresh fuel to speculation over a growing political bonhomie between the Prime Minister and the veteran opposition leader.
The developments came on a day when all eight MPs of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) met Modi at his Parliament House office. The delegation, led by Baramati MP Supriya Sule, discussed several issues, including the flood situation in Maharashtra.
Sule has recently made several public gestures of cordiality towards senior BJP leaders, adding to speculation about closer engagement between the NCP-SP and the government.
The meeting with Modi is also significant amid the government’s efforts to build wider support for proposed constitutional amendments related to delimitation and women’s reservation. The government requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses for such legislation.
Later in the evening, Modi attended the reception at Sharad Pawar’s residence on Janpath Road. Visuals from the event showed Modi and Sule exchanging smiles and sharing a warm interaction.
The reception was attended by several prominent political figures, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present.
The back-to-back political interactions have drawn attention in Delhi’s power corridors, particularly as Parliament’s Monsoon Session is underway. While no formal political understanding has been announced, the recent meetings and public interactions have intensified speculation about possible cooperation on key legislative issues.
For now, both sides have maintained that the discussions are focused on political and public-interest matters. Any decision by the NCP-SP on supporting the government’s constitutional agenda is expected to become clearer when the proposed Bills are formally brought before Parliament.