‘It seems the process will now be discontinued’: Sharad Pawar breaks silence on NCP reunification talk

In a video statement released shortly after after Sharad Pawar’s comments, senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil said, “Ajit Pawar’s last wish was to see the merger”.

Written by: Alok Deshpande, Manoj Dattatrye More

6 min readMumbaiUpdated: Feb 1, 2026 02:07 AM IST

Addressing reporters, Pawar clarified that discussions regarding the possible merger of the two NCP factions had been underway but now appear uncertain. (file)

As Sunetra Pawar, the wife of Ajit Pawar, was sworn in as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, uncertainty deepened over the long-contemplated reunification of the two Nationalist Congress Party factions, with party patriarch Sharad Pawar on Saturday distancing himself from both the merger talks and her elevation.

Breaking his silence on speculation over a possible reunification of the two NCP factions, Pawar said that merger talks with nephew Ajit Pawar, which had been underway for months, now appeared uncertain following the latter’s death.

“We had positive discussions about (the) merger… but now it has been interrupted. Our party and Ajit Pawar’s party had decided to work together and there was unanimity about it. The process had started. We had decided to announce the merger decision on February 12,” he said.

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“For the last four months, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Shashikant Shinde were involved in the merger talks…. Now, an unfortunate accident has happened. It seems that the process will now be discontinued,” Pawar said.

On January 30, The Indian Express was the first to report that the two factions of the NCP were set to announce reunification after the zilla parishad elections.

Following the party patriarch’s comments, Jayant Patil, a senior leader of the Sharad Pawar faction, released a statement saying, “It was decided on January 16 to announce the merger after zilla parishad polls on February 8. But since I was to attend a wedding in Delhi, Ajit dada said whatever date you decide… we will announce the merger. So, we decided on February 12.”

#ExpressMumbai | “It seems the process will now be discontinued”: #SharadPawar breaks silence on #NCP reunification talk

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(Express Video)@alokdesh reports:https://t.co/esZ2l2cqoC pic.twitter.com/0YYEbiaMx5

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) January 31, 2026

“Ajit Pawar had told us that he had informed Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal and other leaders of his party about the plans of merger,” Patil said. “Ajit Pawar’s last wish was to see the merger of two parties. Now that Sunetra Pawar is taking over (as deputy CM), if she decides to take note of sentiments of party MLAs, only then that last wish can be fulfilled… Ajit Pawar used to tell me that all of his legislators are with him in his decision. There will not be any opposition to his decision of merger.”

On his part, Sharad Pawar said, “The decision of selecting Sunetra Pawar as the legislative party leader is the internal issue of the NCP.” He reiterated that he had no prior information about Sunetra Pawar becoming Deputy Chief Minister.

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“I have no knowledge about Sunetra Pawar being selected as Deputy CM. It must be the internal matter of the NCP. I am reading some names like Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare in newspapers. They must have decided it for their party,” he said.

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On being asked if any member of his family would attend the swearing-in event, Sharad Pawar said, “I have no idea about the swearing-in and have come to know about it through news. How can we be there? We are not aware. Whether the swearing-in is actually happening or not is also not known.”

The NCP founder also said that there had been no communication between the two factions regarding future political steps. “There was no discussion with anyone on future developments between NCP and NCP SP,” he said.

Baramati MP Supriya Sule echoed her father’s view when she said she had no clue about Sunetra Pawar taking oath on Saturday. “I don’t know anything about this…,” she said when asked about the swearing-in. Sule on Saturday visited Katewadi and met Ajit Pawar’s mother Asha Pawar at her home. “I am going to Delhi… Tomorrow is the Budget presentation. I am the floor leader of my party,” Sule added.

While Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel and a majority of NCP leaders chose to not comment on Sharad Pawar’s statements, Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil said Ajit Pawar had indeed spoken about the merger. “Dada has said that both (parties) should work unitedly,” Patil told reporters.

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Meanwhile, political and family tensions played out in Baramati. Three hours after Sharad Pawar said he had no knowledge of Sunetra Pawar taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister, her son Parth Pawar rushed to the NCP SP national president’s residence at Govindbaug in Baramati.

NCP leaders said Parth arrived around noon and spent nearly one-and-a-half hours with Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Rohit Pawar, Yugendra Pawar and other family members.

Explained

What Next

Ajit Pawar’s death seems to have dealt a crippling blow to NCP reunification plans. However, once the dust settles, the family and both factions are expected to come together and take the process forward.

Sources said Parth tried to mollify a visibly upset Sharad Pawar about the urgency behind his and his mother Sunetra’s departure to Mumbai without informing the veteran leader. They had left Baramati on Monday evening and reached Mumbai around 3 am. Ajit Pawar’s funeral was held on Thursday.

After an animated discussion with the family patriarch, Parth was seen speaking to Supriya Sule before leaving the residence.

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NCP sources said that family members told Parth there was no need to rush matters as only two days had passed since the death of Ajit Pawar.

Kiran Gujar, a long-time associate of the Pawar family, confirmed the meeting but declined to divulge details. “All is well,” Gujar said, acknowledging that Parth had met Sharad Pawar. “He had called me before the meeting.”

Alok Deshpande

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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