NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar visited a hospital in Mumbai on Thursday for a follow-up on his treatment for a chest and respiratory infection, sources said. The 85-year-old former Union minister was initially admitted to Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic on November 2 and discharged on November 4. The same day, he was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai and discharged on November 7. “Pawar Saheb visited the hospital for follow-up of his treatment for chest and respiratory infection for which he was hospitalised last week,” a source said.
Several leaders of the Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party met Sharad Pawar during his recent hospitalisation, fuelling speculation about a merger of the two NCP factions. A video of Sharad Pawar speaking to NCP leader Praful Patel from his hospital bed had added to the buzz. Asked about the speculation, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Wednesday said things would be known at the appropriate time.
