Sharad Pawar holds hour-long discussion with PM Modi after meets with Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal

NCP president Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, and both leaders held talks on a number of issues in a nearly hour-long meeting. The Prime Minister’s Office tweeted a picture of their meeting but shared no details about their talks. In a tweet Pawar said, “Met the Hon. Prime Minister of our country Shri Narendra Modi. Had a discussion on various issues of national interest.” The meeting comes two days before Parliament’s Monsoon session starts on Monday. A veteran leader widely recognised for his political acumen, Pawar is the main architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and is seen as a lynchpin for any future opposition alliance against the BJP. Squabble among alliance partners over one issue or another has often come to the fore, with state Congress president Nana Patole’s frequent digs at other two partners – the Shiv Sena and the NCP – making news of late. The 80-year-old veteran leader is also known for his warm relations with politicians across party affiliations. Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal had met Pawar on Friday. While the defence minister had briefed Pawar, also a former defence minister, on the border row involving China, Goyal had met him as part of the government’s outreach to opposition leaders before the session starts.