3 min readMumbaiJun 12, 2026 04:06 PM IST
First published on: Jun 12, 2026 at 04:06 PM IST
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday dismissed speculation that regional parties were exploring the possibility of a merger with the Congress, saying the party was a “sinking ship”.
“All those in the Opposition who are weaving such a narrative can be described as ‘Begani shadi mein Abdullah deewana’ (being excited about somebody else’s business). The Congress is a sinking ship. Nobody likes to step into a sinking ship,” Fadnavis said.
After Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in Delhi following her party’s stunning defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, talk of mergers has gained traction amid calls for a united INDIA bloc.
In Maharashtra, Congress leader Nana Patole claimed on Thursday that Sharad Pawar had earlier proposed merging his party with the Congress. While the NCP (SP) on Friday denied the claim, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said leaders who formed separate parties after leaving Congress should rethink their position in the current political scenario.
“Congress has to become stronger. Leaders who came out of Congress and built their own parties—whether Sharad Pawar, KCR or Mamata Banerjee—should understand the situation in the country. If we want to fight those in power at the Centre, everyone will have to come together,” Raut said, adding that Sharad Pawar should take the lead in such an effort.
The BJP is not worried about such an eventuality, Fadnavis said. “As far as the BJP is concerned, either way, it will be a win-win situation. Even if we hypothetically assume that regional parties will merge with Congress, it is good for us. The consolidation of the Opposition creates more political space for the BJP. It is good for us,” Fadnavis emphasised. “When there are multiple parties, they take up space. When they come together as one party, we get more political space. We have adopted a wait-and-watch policy,” he added.
Fadnavis addressed the media on Friday in Mumbai to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12-year tenure. Commenting on NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s statement that there cannot be any comparison between Jawaharlal Nehru and Modi, Fadnavis said, “Modi has broken the record of Nehru as the longest-serving PM. This is a fact. Where is the question of comparison?”
“Modi is not just the longest-serving PM, but also the best, given the socio-economic development the country has witnessed in the last 12 years,” he added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the media in Mumbai to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12-year tenure. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar) 
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