Political strategist-turned-politician [Prashant Kishor]met with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief [Sunetra Pawar] and Rajya Sabha MP [Parth Pawar] on Monday morning in Mumbai during a high-stakes, two-hour deliberation aimed at exploring structural strategies to revive and strengthen the party’s regional footprint.
The extensive, closed-door interaction held at the Pawars’ residence sparked immense political buzz within Maharashtra’s political circles. This meeting occurred shortly after the NCP parted ways with its previous branding agency, DesignBoxed. According to party sources, the discussions focused heavily on building an independent political framework, handling organizational restructuring, and evaluating upcoming Legislative Council elections. Insiders suggest Kishor even delivered a preliminary presentation blueprint to help rebuild the party’s grassroots base across the state.
However, the meeting also exposed deeper internal friction and policy anxieties within the NCP ranks. Several veteran party figures expressed immediate discomfort over the expanding administrative control of the younger leadership camp under Parth Pawar. Furthermore, certain senior leaders privately advised against officially hiring the ace strategist. They cited potential backlash from their major alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), given Kishor’s strained relationship with the BJP’s central leadership.
Seeking to quell the mounting controversy and calm political waters, Parth Pawar subsequently took to social media platform X to issue a formal clarification. He classified the dialogue as a mere personal, “courtesy interaction” and family lunch. He stated that Prashant Kishor has known their family since the time of senior leadership and remains like a brother. The junior Pawar firmly pointed out that Kishor had formally exited the political advisory space several years ago to manage his own political platform, the [Jan Suraaj Party]. Despite the damage-control statements, regional observers view this development as a clear sign that the party leadership is proactively searching for heavy-duty consulting expertise to redefine its brand and ensure long-term political survival.
