The NDA has convened a meeting in Delhi on July 18 which is likely to be attended by the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The meeting is also expected to see the return of Chirag Paswan to the NDA fold with JD(S) and O P Rajbhar’s SBSP too being brought in.
Ajit, who was also considered his protege, rebelled against Pawar’s leadership by joining the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government last Sunday. While the Ajit-led faction has staked claim on the party name and symbol, Pawar has declared that he would rebuild the party.Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last evening said that another round of cabinet expansion will take place soon after another ally, Ajit Pawar, joined the ruling state government. He asserted that his party doesn't engineer splits in other parties, but does not stop those who want to come along. "The BJP does not break other parties, but there will be no opposition to those who believe in Modi's leadership and want to come along,