Hyderabad, Feb. 12 -- In a recent event held in New Delhi, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar felicitated Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena (Shinde section) chief Eknath Shinde, raising many eyebrows. The gesture drew criticism from the state's main Opposition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), particularly members of the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction).

Shinde was facilitated by Sharad Pawar with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar in the presence of Union minister for communications and development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on the occasion of the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.

The veteran politician is the president of the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan recept...