Amid merger speculation, Sharad Pawar will be only one to take final call, says NCP(SP)

The party’s state unit chief Jayant Patil on Wednesday held a meeting with state wide office bearers of different cells and frontal organisations of the NCP(SP). The party mainly discussed local body polls, caste census and the upcoming bill by the state government on the issue of urban naxals. The meeting took place in the background of reignited talks of a merger between the NCP (SP) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

According to sources, the party has asked its local units to prepare for the local body polls. “The local body polls will be entrusted with the decision regarding alliance at local levels. There won’t be a blanket order from the top. It has also been told to raise the caste census issue effectively and the upcoming urban naxal bill,” the leader said.

Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Tuesday night informed his party legislators that no discussion was held between him and senior leaders of the NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar about a merger.

Addressing party legislators at the weekly party meeting held at NCP minister Datta Bharne’s official residence, Ajit Pawar said that there should be no confusion in NCP leaders’ minds over news reports of a possible merger between the two parties.

“No senior leader from our side and no leader from their (NCP-SP) have spoken to each other,” a legislator who was present at the meeting said. According to sources, some a senior NCP leader also hinted that Sharad Pawar’s recent comments about merger were to stop the possible shift of his party leaders to different parties.

The legislator said that while clarifying the issue, Ajit Pawar specifically mentioned that he will address the issue in the meeting, as the leaders of his party should be aware of the reality.

THe Ajit Pawar-led NCP spokesperson and former LS MP Anand Paranjpe said that though no talks have been held, any person who is willing to accept the leadership of Ajit Pawar is welcome in the party. “We under the leadership of Ajit Pawar have taken a particular stand. Those who are ready to accept the leadership of Ajit Pawar are coming to us and are always welcome to join the party,” he said.

In an interview with The Indian Express last week, NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar had acknowledged internal divisions within his party on the question of reuniting with Ajit Pawar’s faction. “There are two views in the party. One is that we reunite with the NCP led by Ajit Pawar. The second is that we don’t go directly or indirectly with the BJP. Let us join the INDIA group and reorganise the alliance,” Sharad Pawar had said.

NCP (SP) executive president Supriya Sule had responded to Sharad Pawar’s remarks, saying that any decision will be taken after discussions with party leaders and office bearers.

Since then, both Pawars have shared the stage twice, first in western Maharashtra’s Satara and then in Mumbai. Both programmes were non-political events.