NCP factions were ready for a Feb 8 merger announcement, process remains ‘on course’
As per leaders, the reunification would be a step towards the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction “joining the govt”, and that possible Cabinet reshuffle was being talked about.
Then NCP chief Sharad Pawar with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. (Express Archives) The two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were set to make an announcement on reunification on February 8, before the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar came as a setback.
Sources said that merger talks were at an advanced stage, and that leaders from the two sides were preparing the ground for a formal reunification following the zilla parishad election results, when the tragedy struck. However, NCP leaders said, while Ajit Pawar’s death may have cast uncertainty over the immediate timeline of the plans, the underlying political process remains intact.
In fact, late Wednesday night, senior NCP leaders who rushed to Baramati to pay their respects to Ajit Pawar held a meeting where, sources said, the urgency of continuing the consultations amid the changing political situation was discussed.
Sources also said that reunification would be a step towards the Sharad Pawar-led NCP “joining the government”. Currently, while the NCP faction that was led by Ajit Pawar is a part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, the NCP (SP) is a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi including the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress.
The Maharashtra deputy chief minister was a key link between the two NCP factions, and played a pivotal role in reopening channels of communication with the Sharad Pawar-led faction as well as led the negotiations from the front.
Senior NCP(SP) MLA Jayant Patil and NCP (SP) chief Shashikant Shinde confirmed to The Indian Express that merger discussions were at an advanced stage, with sources saying they had progressed to the point where possible Cabinet reshuffles and inclusion of new faces were being informally considered as part of the arrangement.
Calling the loss of Ajit Pawar “a big loss for all of us”, Jayant Patil said: “In recent times, we (the two factions) were meeting frequently. On January 16, we met at my residence to finalise the talks of contesting elections together. On January 17, a meeting was held at Sharad Pawar ji’s house.”
Shinde said the merger talks were aligned with the earlier understanding reached between the two factions. “It is now necessary to speak the truth. Ajit Pawar had mentioned that we would come together after the municipal corporation elections. Meetings were also held in that regard. Ajit Dada said this while looking towards Sharad Pawar for guidance. Our progress will now be in that direction,” Shinde said, indicating that the process may be delayed but would continue.
After the two NCP factions contested the crucial Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls together, talk of reunification had been gathering momentum, with multiple public signals and media reports pointing to a thaw between the two camps. Leaders had also publicly softened their positions, suggesting that internal differences were being resolved.
Talk had been on to contest the coming zilla parishad elections together as well, as a confidence-building exercise. “It was part of the strategy to test the waters, and to announce the merger after the zilla parishad results,” a leader of the NCP(SP) said, adding that February 8 was the tentative date for the announcement.
Ajit Pawar had also hinted at a possible reunion during public rallies, attacking those questioning a merger. At one rally, he had said: “Why does it bother some people if we come together?”
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