Amit Shah’s late-night meeting with Ajit Pawar sparks rift speculation in Mahayuti alliance
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Mumbai: A discreet late-night meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai has intensified speculation of a brewing rift within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
The meeting, held at the tail end of Shah's Maharashtra tour, lasted roughly 20 minutes and took place away from public view. Though no official comments were issued by either the BJP or Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, the secrecy surrounding the encounter has fueled political chatter across the state.
This development comes amid rising tension in the coalition, following reports that Shah and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis pushed for the cabinet induction of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal without consulting Ajit Pawar. In a recent interview, Bhujbal himself acknowledged the support of Shah and Fadnavis but pointedly omitted any mention of Pawar, further raising eyebrows.
Bhujbal had earlier accused Pawar of resisting his inclusion during the December 2024 cabinet expansion. The situation was further complicated by the removal of former minister Dhananjay Munde from the cabinet, whose portfolio was subsequently handed to Bhujbal. Munde is reportedly disgruntled over the reshuffle.
Sources suggest that Shah’s meeting with Pawar also included discussions on strategy for the upcoming local body elections, adding another layer of urgency and political significance to the conversation.
Earlier in the day, Shah participated in the inaugural Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj State Inspiration Song Award – 2025 ceremony. The event, hosted at the Chief Minister’s official residence “Varsha,” celebrated a patriotic song authored by freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar were also present at the event.
Shah and Fadnavis jointly presented a ₹2 lakh cheque to representatives of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Foundation to aid the upkeep of Savarkar’s national memorial. Shah departed for Delhi following the award ceremony, but his brief and private exchange with Ajit Pawar continues to reverberate across Maharashtra’s political corridors.
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'The Ba**ds of Bollywood’ mirrors my life, damages my reputation: Sameer Wankhede tells Delhi HC
New Delhi: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has submitted his reply to the Delhi High Court in the defamation case he filed against Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan. The case pertains to the recently released series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims has defamed him.
In his statement to the court, Wankhede asserted that the show’s portrayal of a police officer is clearly based on him and has caused serious harm to his public image. He cited four key reasons supporting his claim.
First, he said the character in question bears physical similarities to him, including facial and body features. Second, he noted that the character’s working style and mannerisms closely resemble his own.
Third, Wankhede highlighted that the officer in the show is depicted making a high-profile arrest involving a major film personality, which he said directly mirrors his own involvement in the Aryan Khan drug case.
Fourth, he pointed out that the character frequently uses the phrase “Satyameva Jayate,” a motto he himself had used during media interactions in the course of that investigation. He argued that using the national motto in such a context cannot be dismissed as creative expression or humour.
Wankhede also referred to an interview in which Aryan Khan allegedly admitted that the show was “inspired by some real events.” This, he said, contradicts Red Chillies Entertainment’s claim that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is purely fictional.
He further alleged that the tone and intent of the series indicate personal and institutional vendetta, aimed at discrediting and defaming him rather than engaging in artistic storytelling.
Wankhede informed the court that the fallout from the show has affected his family, with his wife and sister receiving abusive and vulgar messages online.
Rejecting Red Chillies’ argument that he is a “thin-skinned” officer, Wankhede said that a public servant cannot be expected to tolerate false and damaging portrayals simply because of his position. He emphasized that his legal action seeks to protect the constitutional rights and dignity of both himself and his family.
