Mumbai, Apr 2 (IANS): Despite recuperating in the Breach Candy Hospital, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar is keeping a close watch on the national and state political developments, a top leader said here on Friday.

Shiv Sena MP and Chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut made the observation after calling on Pawar at the hospital where he is convalescing after an emergency endoscopy procedure performed to extricate a gall-bladder stone on March 30.

"Pawar Saheb is in excellent health. He will return home soon," Raut said adding that the 80-year-old leader is obviously not missing out on politics which has been his passion for the past over 55 years.

Late on Thursday, NCP National Spokesperson Nawab Malik announced that Pawar was in "the pink of health", responding well to the treatment, has been permitted to walk around and even eat solid food.

Past couple of days, Pawar's daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule had posted photos of her bespectacled father, wearing a blue-black checked hospital gown, carefully scanning through the morning newspapers to keep himself updated.

Pawar was rushed to the Breach Candy Hospital on Tuesday after he complained of abdominal pains and later advised a procedure to remove the gall-bladder stone.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Bharat Ratna singer Lata Mangeshkar, ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, besides members of the Pawar clan enquired after Pawar's health and wished him speedy recovery.