'Storm In A Tea Cup': Supriya Sule Plays Down Sharad Pawar-Eknath Shinde Meeting Amid MVA Tensions

Published 10 July 2026 · india

'Storm In A Tea Cup': Supriya Sule Plays Down Sharad Pawar-Eknath Shinde Meeting Amid MVA Tensions Curated By Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 14:57 IST

'Storm In A Tea Cup': Supriya Sule Plays Down Sharad Pawar-Eknath Shinde Meeting Amid MVA Tensions Curated By Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 14:57 IST Supriya Sule dismissed the row over Sharad Pawar's meeting with Eknath Shinde as a "storm in a tea cup," clarifying it was a courtesy meeting. She denied NCP (SP) MPs joining NDA. Supriya Sule. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Friday sought to put an end to the political controversy surrounding her father Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, calling the row a “storm in a tea cup". The clarification came after ally Shiv Sena (UBT) strongly objected to Pawar’s meeting with Shinde at the latter’s office inside the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday. “It was just a short courtesy meeting. Nothing more than that," Sule told reporters, dismissing speculation over the interaction. She also rejected claims that a section of the NCP (SP) was considering joining the NDA, saying all eight of the party’s MPs remained united. “I am in constant touch with all our eight MPs. We are all united," she said. ‘It Was A Misunderstanding’: Sule On Shiv Sena UBT’s Anger Addressing Shiv Sena (UBT)’s strong reaction to the Pawar-Shinde meeting, Sule described the issue as a “misunderstanding" and said she had spoken to party leader Sanjay Raut.

“I have spoken to Sanjay Raut. It was a misunderstanding. We are good now," she said. Raut had on Thursday questioned Sharad Pawar’s decision to meet Shinde and hold a meeting of his own party’s legislators inside the Deputy Chief Minister’s office. Calling Shinde a “traitor", Raut had said that meeting him could damage Sharad Pawar’s credibility. He also claimed that all allies of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) were hurt by the development. Later, however, Raut clarified that his party was no longer angry with Pawar. Describing the NCP (SP) chief as the “tallest leader" of the Aghadi alliance, he said he had merely expressed the feelings of party workers over the meeting. Raut, however, maintained that Shinde should remain an untouchable figure for MVA allies. “Shinde is a traitor. We should not give him legitimacy by meeting him. We can’t be seen sipping tea with a traitor," Raut said. What Happened At Maharashtra Assembly? Sharad Pawar visited the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday to attend a crucial meeting on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. After the meeting, Pawar visited Shinde at his office in the Assembly premises.