Sharad Pawar visits Mumbai hospital for follow-up check after chest, respiratory infection treatment

Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), visited a hospital in Mumbai on Thursday. Sources said he went for a follow-up consultation after treatment for a chest and respiratory infection.

"Pawar saheb went to the hospital for a follow-up of the treatment for the chest and respiratory infection. He had been admitted for this last week," a source said.

Pawar, 85, is a former Union minister. He was first admitted to the Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune on November 2. He was discharged from there on November 4 and admitted the same day to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He was discharged from the Mumbai hospital on November 7.

Pawar's stay in hospital stirred political circles. Several leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar met him during his treatment. After these meetings, speculation began that the two factions of the party could unite.

The party split in 2023, when Ajit Pawar and several MLAs joined the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde. Sharad Pawar continued to lead the faction that later came to be called the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

The speculation gained further momentum when a video surfaced in which Sharad Pawar was seen talking from his hospital bed to NCP leader Praful Patel.

Asked on Wednesday about the possibility of a merger of the two factions, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said things would become clear when the right time came. She told reporters, "I know that all of you are more interested in another issue right now. But today's subject is entirely different. When the time comes for the merger, it will be known."

Sunetra Pawar was speaking at a press conference called to announce programmes on November 15 for the 191st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Her statement came amid continuing speculation following the meetings between leaders of the two factions.

No formal announcement on a merger has been made so far. According to sources, Pawar's hospital visit on Thursday was for a follow-up consultation linked to the recent chest and respiratory infection.