Hindenburg-Adani row | Gautam Adani meets NCP supremo Sharad Pawar

The meeting comes amid Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into Adani-Hindenburg issue

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar. File | Photo Credit: PTI

Amid the Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue, industrialist Gautam Adani on Thursday met Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar at the latter’s Silver Oak residence in Mumbai.

According to NCP insiders, the meeting, which started around 10 a.m., reportedly lasted for over two hours during which the duo discussed various issues in the country and Maharashtra.

“They had a close-door meeting which lasted for more than two hours. Saheb [Mr. Pawar] and Mr. Adani’s friendship has come a long way. Some relationships are old and they met often. But this meeting is in the news since it came in the backdrop of his latest interview in which he spoke about Adani Group and JPC,” an NCP insider told The Hindu, refusing to divulge further details about the meeting.

Another leader said the duo also had a discussion about the ‘Ajit Pawar situation’ and the BJP.

The meeting came days after the NCP patriarch came out in support of the Adani group and criticised the narrative around the U.S. short-selling firm Hindenburg Research’s report on the conglomerate.

Backs SC panel

In an interview with a news channel in which the Adani Group is the majority shareholder, Mr. Pawar said he was against a probe by a JPC into the allegations levelled against the Adani Group by Hindenburg and said he favoured a Supreme Court committee to probe allegations since the ruling BJP would have a majority in the JPC based on numerical strength in Parliament and this would lead to doubts on such a probe.

His statement raised doubts about Opposition unity in the western State, and the NCP is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi which also has the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress as its partners. Later, Mr. Pawar said that although his party did not agree with the demand of anti-BJP parties for a JPC probe into allegations against the Adani Group, it would not oppose JPC for the sake of Opposition unity.