Praful Patel visits Sharad Pawar in hospital amid reported discontent with Sunetra

Political buzz after Praful Patel meets Sharad Pawar at Mumbai hospital

NEW DELHI: NCP leader Praful Patel on Thursday visited Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital and enquired about his health. Patel said the veteran politician was stable and expected to return home in a day or two after completing his medical check-ups.

The visit by Patel has triggered political speculation as he is among the NCP leaders reportedly "unhappy" with party boss Sunetra Pawar's leadership. The meeting comes amid signs of internal discord within the party, adding a political dimension to Patel's hospital visit.

Sharad Pawar was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday night with a respiratory and chest infection, after being discharged from Pune's Ruby Hall Clinic. Dr Pratit Samdani, a doctor at the hospital, said on Thursday that Pawar was stable and undergoing treatment. "Sharad Pawar was admitted yesterday at Breach Candy Hospital for a respiratory and chest infection. He is stable and under treatment. He was admitted last night; he had a cough and an infection, something like bronchitis trouble. His treatment is ongoing, and he is currently stable," Dr Samdani told reporters.

After meeting Pawar, Patel said the hospital admission was part of his routine medical check-ups and that his health was good. He also dismissed speculation that their meeting involved political discussions, saying he continued to meet Pawar and his daughter, Supriya Sule, because of their family ties.

In a post on X, Patel said, "I visited the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai to pay a courtesy call on the esteemed Shri Sharad Pawar Saheb and inquired about his health."

Providing an update on Pawar's condition, Patel said, "Sharad Pawar due to fatigue two days ago, was taken to Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune for a checkup. After that, he came to Mumbai, and here his health is fine. Naturally, a checkup happens once or twice a year, for a complete checkup, so in that context only he is admitted here at Breach Candy. His health is good. I am also happy that I came here, but everything is fine, and sahab was also in good spirits. He was asking about what is happening in politics in the country and state, as that is his interest. We had a good conversation, and I am happy that in a day or two all his checkups will be completed, so he will return home soon so he can rest."

Patel also commented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conversation with Pawar, describing their relationship as long-standing and cordial. He said Modi's call to enquire about Pawar's health was natural given their association over the years. "Sharad Pawar and Narendra Modi have had a very long-standing relationship. I have also known Modi ji for many years and personally know about the relationship between him and Pawar sahab... I have witnessed their very good, cordial and respectful relationship over the years, even when we were in the UPA government in Delhi, and Modi ji was the Chief Minister of Gujarat... Modi ji is such a senior leader of the country today. So, if he received information about Sharad Pawar ji's health, it was natural for him to enquire about his well-being and speak to him..."

Earlier, Pawar was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic on November 2 after complaining of a cough and pleuritic chest pain. According to a statement issued by Dr Purvez K Grant, Chief Cardiologist, Chairman and Managing Trustee of the hospital, Pawar was stable and doing well at the time of his discharge. "Mr Sharad Pawar has been discharged from Ruby Hall Clinic today. He is stable and doing well. He will be travelling directly from the hospital to his residence in Mumbai. We wish him good health and a speedy recovery," the statement said.

His daughter, Baramati MP and NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule, had earlier said that Pawar was undergoing medical tests and that his health parameters were stable. Ruby Hall Clinic subsequently said he would remain under observation as a precautionary measure. Doctors cleared him for discharge after his condition remained stable and his discomfort subsided.

The developments come amid growing concerns within the BJP over organisational differences in its ally -- NCP. Union home minister Amit Shah met several senior NCP functionaries late Sunday who are believed to be unhappy with party president Sunetra Pawar and her son Parth, and urged them to resolve their differences in the party's interest.

Those who met Shah included NCP national working president Praful Patel, Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, and leaders Dhananjay Munde and Dilip Patil. Deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar and her son Parth were absent from the meeting. Following the meeting, Sunetra Pawar convened a core committee meeting in Mumbai.