Sharad Pawar meets Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for second time in four days

NCP president Sharad Pawar met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's official residence `Varsha' here on Friday, sources said.

The half-an-hour-long meeting, a second in four days, came against the backdrop of reports of strain in the Shiv Sena-NCP ties.

Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the NCP and Congress are allies in the ruling coalition.

Five Sena councillors in the Parner Municipal Council in Ahmednagar district joined the NCP last week, which had caused alarm in the Sena. They later returned to the parent party.

Another source of tension was the transfer of 10 Deputy Commissioners of Police in Mumbai by the home department which is held by the NCP. The transfer order was revoked by the state government within three days.

There were also reports about disagreement over fresh coronavirus lockdown in some cities.

The NCP was of the view that local elected representatives and not bureaucrats should be consulted before imposing lockdown, sources said.