Sharad Pawar

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.

However, Pawar also added that he is ready to help in uniting the Opposition. Talking to media persons in Kolhapur, Pawar said that some of his party’s youth wing workers recently passed a resolution to make him the chairperson of UPA, but he has zero interest in it.