Nashik, Jul 15 (IANS): Breakaway Nationalist Congress Party leader Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar declared that “family is priority” after he visited the Mumbai residence of his uncle and NCP President Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar rushed to Pawar Sr.’s home in Silver Oaks late on Friday, after learning that his aunt, Pratibha Sharad Pawar had undergone a surgery in her hand in a private hospital.

“Politics is separate… Family always comes first. I heeded the call of my conscience and went to enquire after the health of my aunt,” said Ajit Pawar on Saturday.

This was his first visit to Sharad Pawar 15 days after he split the NCP and joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government as a second Deputy CM, sparking great interest in political circles.

He said that he met his uncle and cousin Supriya Sule, MP from Baramati in a very cordial atmosphere, but did not elaborate.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said late Friday night that Ajit Pawar had gone to meet his family, scotching all political rumours.

It may be recalled that Pratibha Pawar underwent a surgical procedure after which her condition was ‘stable’, according to a NCP leader.

Revered as ‘Kaki’ (Aunt) by the party leaders and activists, Pratibha is the daughter of the late Indian test cricketer Sadashiv Shinde, and got married to Sharad Pawar in 1967.

However, she has always remained in the shadows though occasionally she stepped out to stand beside him, as she did in May, when her husband had quit as the NCP President.

As revealed by Pawar himself, she had successfully weaned back their nephew Ajit Pawar after he suddenly joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis in November 2019 to take oath as CM and Deputy CM respectively, but the two-men regime fell in barely 80 hours.