Mumbai: The vanquished BJP minister Prof. Ram S. Shinde had an unexpected visitor at his home late on Thursday – the newly-elected opposition NCP MLA Rohit Pawar.
Despite a heady victory from Karjat-Jamkhed assembly constituency, Nationalist Congress Party’s victor, Rohit Pawar – the grandnephew of party supremo Sharad Pawar – remained down-to-earth and took time out to call on his political rival Shinde to seek his blessings.
At that late hour, Shinde’s entire family and elderly mother reciprocated with equal warmth – welcoming him with smiles and courtesy, and congratulating him for his election win.
The BJP’s outgoing minister honoured Pawar in a traditional Maharashtrian style by tying an auspicious pink ‘Pheta’ (headgear), presenting a coconut, and heartily shook hands to greet him for his poll victory.
Just then, Shinde’s mother arrived and Pawar respectfully moved forward to touch her feet and she blessed him.
After some more pleasantries, Shinde saw off Pawar to the main entrance as he left.
Videos of this unusual late-night encounter went viral today with viewers lauding both Pawar and Shinde for keeping their rivalry purely political and not making it a personal fight.
Shinde was among eight heavyweight ministers of the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government who lost the elections from various constituencies.-IANS news
