Efforts underway to convince Ajit Pawar

In a battle of nerves, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has launched massive efforts to convince his rebel nephew Ajit Pawar back. Pawar Sr took this step after he ensured that his nephew is isolated completely as far as NCP is concerned.

Pawar Jr is now left with two MLAs. Top NCP leaders including state NCP president and legislature party leader Jayant Patil, Dilip Walse-Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal held a four-hour marathon meeting with Ajit at the Vidhan Bhavan complex.

Shiv Sena legislature party leader Eknath Shinde too briefly joined in for the meeting.

Ajit has come to the Vidhan Bhavan complex with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to pay tributes to Y B Chavan, the architect of modern Maharashtra.

While Fadnavis proceeded to Mantralaya, the state secretariat and took charge, Ajit stayed back for the meeting that lasted for 4 hours.

"We had come to convince him," Patil said, adding, that he would not be able to share details of what transpired in the meeting. "One meeting is held, perhaps one more would be held," he added.

"We are positive that something comes out," said Bhujbal, a former deputy chief minister.

"Our efforts to convince Ajit Pawar is still underway," said Walse-Patil, a former speaker.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's close aide Sanjay Raut said that Ajit Pawar might have been pressurised by BJP.

"Ajit Pawar is an emotional man... we have seen his tears... perhaps we may see again," he said, referring to the incident when he abruptly resigned as an MLA in the wake of Rs 25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam, only to apologise to his uncle and break down.