CM Eknath Shinde, Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis decline NCP founder Sharad Pawar's meal at home invite

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday declined NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar's invite for a meal at his residence in Baramati in Pune district on Saturday, citing a hectic schedule.

Shinde sought to make light of the invite extended by his political rival, saying nothing much should be read into it.

Two days ago, the former Union minister sprang a surprise when he invited Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, all his political rivals, to his residence in Baramati for a meal. Shinde and the two deputy CMs will be in Baramati, the home turf of the NCP founder, on Saturday to inaugurate a job fair.

Fadnavis has also declined the invite, citing his busy schedule, while the stand of Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's politically estranged nephew who parted ways with him and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in July last year, was not yet known.

Chief Minister Shinde told reporters after the end of the budget session of the state legislature that he had conveyed to the senior Pawar that it wasn't possible for him to visit his home.

"We have a tight schedule (on Saturday) as after the Baramati event we have to go to Ahmedabad. I told him (Sharad Pawar) that next time on my Baramati visit, I would visit him," he said.

Shinde maintained that nothing much should be read into the Rajya Sabha MP's invite, adding, "If someone comes close to your home, you are bound to invite him over."

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar on Friday targeted the BJP-led Centre and Maharashtra government over the three semiconductor units that are to be set up in Gujarat and Assam with an investment of Rs 1.26 lakh crore.

In a post on social media platform X, the Sharad Pawar-led party said the Narendra Modi government's love for Gujarat doesn't seem to be ebbing after big ticket Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project was moved from Maharashtra to that state.

The opposition in the state has routinely alleged the Vedanta-Foxonn semiconductor project was supposed to come up in Maharashtra but got moved to the prime minister's home state. However, the Eknath Shinde government has claimed no MoU was signed with Vedanta-Foxconn and, therefore, there was no question of the project moving from Maharashtra to Gujarat.

In its social media post, the NCP(SP) pointed out that both Gujarat and Assam are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

There is no effort from "triple engine" government in Maharashtra to bring such projects to the state, it claimed.

Targeting the Centre, the NCP (SP) also alleged Maharashtra is not even considered for such projects.

The Centre on Thursday approved proposals to set up three semiconductor units in Gujarat and Assam with an estimated investment of Rs 1.26 lakh crore.

Tata Electronics Private Limited will set up a semiconductor fab in partnership with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC), Taiwan. This unit will be constructed in Dholera, Gujarat. The plant will attract Rs 91,000 crore investment.

Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd will set up a semiconductor unit in Morigaon, Assam, at an investment of Rs 27,000 crore.

CG Power, in partnership with Renesas Electronics Corporation, Japan, and Stars Microelectronics, Thailand, will set up a semiconductor unit in Sanand in Gujarat. The investment in the Sanand unit is estimated at Rs 7,600 crore. (With inputs from agencies)