NCP (SP), NCP merger process may hit roadblock after Ajit Pawar’s death: Sharad Pawar
Talks between two factions were progressing positively, says NCP (SP) chief
The process to merge NCP (SP) and NCP may face a roadblock following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar said on Saturday.
Ajit Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, was killed along with four others when a Learjet 45 aircraft they were travelling in crashed at Baramati, his hometown, on 28 January.
Addressing reporters in Baramati, Sharad Pawar said discussions on merging the two factions had been underway for the past four months under Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil.
“All discussions were held at their level, but it now appears the process may hit a roadblock following the accident. The talks were progressing in a positive direction, but the accident adversely affected the process,” the former Union minister said.
Efforts had been made to establish cordial dialogue between the two factions, he added.
Asked whether the merger process would continue, Sharad Pawar said he was not directly involved in the discussions and could not say how the situation would unfold.
“It was Ajit’s wish to unite the two factions, and now it is our wish that his wish should be fulfilled,” he said.
“We cannot bring Ajit back. We have lost him. Now we have to see how to face the situation,” the NCP (SP) chief added.
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Sharad Pawar said a consensus had been reached on both factions working together and that the process had already begun.
“The decision on the merger was supposed to be announced on 12 February. Ajit had given this date, but unfortunately, the accident took place,” he said.
During the recent civic polls, which the two factions contested in alliance, Ajit Pawar had also told select journalists that he intended to merge his party with the NCP (SP) while his uncle Sharad Pawar was in good health.
After jointly contesting the 15 January civic elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, the two factions had decided to continue the alliance for the Zilla Parishad elections scheduled next month.
The Nationalist Congress Party, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, split after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government in July 2023. He continued as Deputy Chief Minister after Devendra Fadnavis assumed office following the November 2024 Assembly polls.
Sharad Pawar also said the NCP (SP) was unaware of the swearing-in of Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister.
“I was not aware of the swearing-in. There was no discussion with me. The party may have taken the decision internally,” he said, referring to the NCP.
Sunetra Pawar (62) was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday. She was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a brief ceremony at Lok Bhavan, after being elected leader of the NCP legislature party earlier in the day.