Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) working president and MP Supriya Sule on Saturday said discussions about a possible merger between the two rival factions of the party had ended following the death of her brother and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The remarks come amid speculation about a possible reunion between the two factions of the NCP. Speaking at a press conference, Sule said, “The merger (of both factions of the party) was discussed until my brother (Ajit Pawar) was alive. The day he left us, it put a full stop to those discussions.” Ajit Pawar died on January 28 after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district.
Sunil Tatkare Rules Out Merger With Sharad Pawar-Led Faction
On Friday, Maharashtra NCP President and MP Sunil Tatkare also firmly put the rumours to rest. Speaking to ANI, Tatkare clarified that the NCP is not considering any merger with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SCP). “There is absolutely no discussion regarding a merger in our party at any level,” Tatkare stated. The political grapevine went into overdrive after senior NCP leader Praful Patel recently met Sharad Pawar. However, Tatkare was quick to dismiss the hype, framing it as a purely personal courtesy call. “Pawar Sahab has contributed to national politics for 60 years. At 86, his health hasn’t been well. We have all reached various political positions with his blessings. Praful Bhai simply went to check on his health,” he explained, stressing that there was no political motive behind the visit.
Tatkare Reaffirms Faction’s Allegiance To NDA
Reaffirming his faction’s political allegiance to the BJP-led NDA, Tatkare stated, “We joined the NDA after deep consideration under the leadership of Narendra Modi. We are in the NDA and will remain in the NDA.” He also took a sharp dig at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who recently claimed that 20 to 22 MLAs were ready to switch sides. He said, “After the assembly elections, his mental health has deteriorated. Mentally, he is not fit. These statements are completely baseless.” Sunil Tatkare asserted that the party will remain firmly with the NDA under the leadership of Sunetra Pawar, stating that the “question of a merger does not even arise.” Clarifying his earlier remarks, Tatkare said there was “no confusion” on his part, explaining that he had simply stated that late leader Ajit Pawar (‘Dada’) had spoken to him in detail about a merger on February 12 and even outlined a post-merger formula.
