Pune, Apr 18 (PTI) Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday dismissed speculation about his nephew and senior party leader Ajit Pawar's next political move and said no meeting of NCP MLAs has been called by anyone.

On Monday, Ajit Pawar also dismissed as false the reports that he has called a meeting of MLAs on Tuesday, amid intense speculation in Maharashtra's political circles about his growing proximity with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to the reporters in Purandar area of Maharashtra's Pune district, Sharad Pawar said whatever discussions are going on in the minds of the media are not there in "our minds".

"...There is no importance of all these discussions. The reports have no meaning. I can say about NCP that all our colleagues are of one thinking of how to make the party stronger, and there is no other thought in anybody's mind," the party chief said.

Sharad Pawar, whose party is a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which also comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, dismissed reports of a meeting of NCP MLAs being called in Mumbai and said no one has called such a meeting.

"The party's state president (Jayant Patil) is busy with a local election in his region, and another party leader Ajit Pawar is also busy with the work of the party and providing guidance to everyone," he said.

The NCP president said after his programmes in Pune, he will head to Mumbai.

Speculation about Ajit Pawar's next political move started swirling last week when he suddenly cancelled his scheduled meetings and also made comments which were seen as being soft on the BJP and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's camp. The BJP is part of the Shinde government.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday added grist to the rumour mill claiming Sharad Pawar recently told Uddhav Thackeray that his party will never join hands with the BJP even if anyone takes an individual decision to do so. PTI SPK GK

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