<p>The political grapevine in Maharashtra is rife with whispers of a fresh crisis, with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/tag/ajit-pawar" target="_blank">Ajit Pawar</a> and seven NCP MLAs reportedly going incommunicado in what is <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/chartered-flight-with-rebel-shiv-sena-mla-on-way-to-guwahati-1121617.html" target="_blank">reminiscent of</a> the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis. </p>.<p>On Saturday, however, Pawar denied these speculations and clarified that he was ill and was advised to take rest. According to a <em>News18 </em><a href="https://www.news18.com/politics/another-maharashtra-political-crisis-brewing-rumours-abuzz-as-ajit-pawar-goes-missing-with-7-mlas-7495177.html" target="_blank">report</a>, the NCP leader had added that the media should not run reports without verifying them. The NCP also denied the reports stating that “dada" is very much in Pune, and will attend all his public commitments on Saturday.</p>.<p>Speculations began after Pawar had cancelled all of his events scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Pune following which he had gone incommunicado. Reports said that seven legislators had gone missing as well. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/i-will-bring-out-whole-truth-about-formation-of-govt-with-ajit-pawar-fadnavis-1194145.html" target="_blank">I will bring out whole truth about formation of govt with Ajit Pawar: Fadnavis</a></strong></p>.<p>As per <em>News18</em>, the rumours started doing the rounds in light of Pawar’s recent interview and Maharashtra chief minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/eknath-shinde" target="_blank">Eknath Shinde</a>’s visit to Ayodhya on Saturday. Speaking to the publication, a source added that Ajit Pawar, like Shinde, is “known for such stunts”. It may be pertinent to note, that in 2019 Pawar had quietly joined hands with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis to form a government that lasted for 72 hours.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the NCP leader has recently been critical of Uddhav Thackeray. He had recently disclosed that Sharad Pawar and others in the party had warned the then-Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray about a possible rebellion within the Shiv Sena, but the latter was convinced that his MLAs would not take any drastic measures.</p>.<p>Ajit Pawar, whose party was a constituent of the Shiv Sena-led MVA along with the Congress, served as deputy CM in the Thackeray cabinet.</p>.<p>In June of last year, a faction of Shiv Sena MLAs, led by then-Cabinet Minister Eknath Shinde, rebelled against Thackeray, causing the MVA coalition government to fall. The rebel MLAs subsequently joined forces with the BJP to create a government led by Shinde.</p>
<p>The political grapevine in Maharashtra is rife with whispers of a fresh crisis, with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/tag/ajit-pawar" target="_blank">Ajit Pawar</a> and seven NCP MLAs reportedly going incommunicado in what is <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/chartered-flight-with-rebel-shiv-sena-mla-on-way-to-guwahati-1121617.html" target="_blank">reminiscent of</a> the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis. </p>.<p>On Saturday, however, Pawar denied these speculations and clarified that he was ill and was advised to take rest. According to a <em>News18 </em><a href="https://www.news18.com/politics/another-maharashtra-political-crisis-brewing-rumours-abuzz-as-ajit-pawar-goes-missing-with-7-mlas-7495177.html" target="_blank">report</a>, the NCP leader had added that the media should not run reports without verifying them. The NCP also denied the reports stating that “dada" is very much in Pune, and will attend all his public commitments on Saturday.</p>.<p>Speculations began after Pawar had cancelled all of his events scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Pune following which he had gone incommunicado. Reports said that seven legislators had gone missing as well. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/i-will-bring-out-whole-truth-about-formation-of-govt-with-ajit-pawar-fadnavis-1194145.html" target="_blank">I will bring out whole truth about formation of govt with Ajit Pawar: Fadnavis</a></strong></p>.<p>As per <em>News18</em>, the rumours started doing the rounds in light of Pawar’s recent interview and Maharashtra chief minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/eknath-shinde" target="_blank">Eknath Shinde</a>’s visit to Ayodhya on Saturday. Speaking to the publication, a source added that Ajit Pawar, like Shinde, is “known for such stunts”. It may be pertinent to note, that in 2019 Pawar had quietly joined hands with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis to form a government that lasted for 72 hours.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the NCP leader has recently been critical of Uddhav Thackeray. He had recently disclosed that Sharad Pawar and others in the party had warned the then-Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray about a possible rebellion within the Shiv Sena, but the latter was convinced that his MLAs would not take any drastic measures.</p>.<p>Ajit Pawar, whose party was a constituent of the Shiv Sena-led MVA along with the Congress, served as deputy CM in the Thackeray cabinet.</p>.<p>In June of last year, a faction of Shiv Sena MLAs, led by then-Cabinet Minister Eknath Shinde, rebelled against Thackeray, causing the MVA coalition government to fall. The rebel MLAs subsequently joined forces with the BJP to create a government led by Shinde.</p>