Sharad Pawar

Both factions of the Sena led by Thackeray and Shinde will hold their Vijaya Dashami rallies at Shivaji Park and Bandra Kurla Complex grounds, respectively, under the common party name and an embittered ambience after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was toppled in June.

Speaking at the NCP national council meeting here, Pawar -- who on Saturday was re-elected unanimously the party president -- told the workers to be prepared for a "big fight". Pawar said that Chhatrapati Shivaji never bowed in front of Delhi rulers and the NCP follows that path which has established itself as a progressive national party. His remarks came as many Opposition leaders are under the spotlight of probe agencies, while NCP leaders such as Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh are under judicial custody.

Praful Patel said Pawar was going to play an important role to bring many forces together. He said, "Sharad Pawar was never and will never be the PM face. He only speaks about the real issues of this country. Some workers of the party expressed their views but Sharad Pawar is not aspiring for the PM post. "We know our limitations and he is not the opposition's face but will play an important role." Patel said the NCP was going to play a key role in the upcoming General Elections. But the party's stand was clear that there was a need for the Opposition to unite.

After the meeting, NCP general secretary Praful Patel said Sharad Pawar has been elected unopposed by the party's national executive. The party would hold national council meeting on Sunday during which Pawar is expected to lay out the road map for the national-level alliance of the opposition parties.

The Congress is not pushing anybody's candidature and will go with the opposition's choice for the sake of opposition unity. Sources say that Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge made the point in the meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee on June 15 that the party is aware that many of the parties around this table compete with each other in assembly elections. But that has not prevented this meeting from taking place.

Sources say that 17 parties will attend the meeting. The parties have to arrive at a consensus on the candidate's name after Sharad Pawar declined to contest. The opposition parties had on Wednesday decided to field a joint candidate in the Presidential polls next month.The meeting of opposition leaders, called by Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was held here for building a consensus on a joint opposition candidate.

The development followed a complaint registered with Kalwa Police by NCP leader Swapnil Netke against Chitale, 30, who shared a Marathi verse denigrating Pawar and resulting in a political furore. Subsequently, she was taken to the Kalamboli Police Station in Navi Mumbai which arrested her, even as other complaints have been lodged against her in Mumbai, Nashik, Pune and different cities.

"I enjoyed reading those (14) tweets. I am accused of minority appeasement and caste politics. The NCP's policies are not based on such things. I don't give much importance to the criticism," said Pawar with a mischievous glint in his eyes, making it clear he cared little for the Opposition's repeated assaults. Pawar -- who was accorded a hero's welcome here on Friday morning -- said he was more concerned about the unity of the state which is in 'danger' than the Opposition barbs at him.

In his 'NCP Special' rally late on Tuesday, Raj Thackeray - the estranged cousin of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray - compared Supriya Sule with an elephant, saying that she had different teeth to show (tusks) and to chew. "When there is a raid (by the Income Tax Department) on Ajit Pawar, then why not on Supriya Sule," he wondered, and even blamed the raids on NCP Minister Nawab Malik on the Pawars.

Small groups of the employees were seen rushing towards the high-security Pawar residence in Silver Oaks Building, broke the security barricades, shouted slogans, and pelted stones, shoes at their home. Taken aback by the unexpected 'attack', NCP MP Supriya Sule, Pawar's daughter, rushed out of the home right into the midst of the agitating state transport workers crowding there and appealed to them to remain calm and sit for negotiations.