Post-Ajit Pawar NCP: Sharad Pawar merger speculation grows amid internal rift

New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is facing a crucial political test following the death of Ajit Pawar. While the possibility of reunification with Sharad Pawar’s faction has once again come into discussion, reports of growing differences within Ajit Pawar’s party have raised questions about its leadership and future direction.

A meeting between Sharad Pawar and senior NCP leader Praful Patel at Breach Candy Hospital on November 5 has added to the speculation. During their conversation, Sharad Pawar suggested that they could meet after November 10. Patel said he would be in Mumbai after that date and was ready to meet whenever Pawar decided.

Although Patel maintained that the meeting was only to enquire about Sharad Pawar’s health, it has renewed discussion about a possible merger between the two factions.
The two sides, however, have not presented a common position. Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare said there were no ongoing merger discussions but added that the two factions would have reunited if Ajit Pawar had been alive. He also indicated that February 12, a date reportedly considered for the merger, could have been finalised in Ajit’s presence.

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar, meanwhile, claimed that a merger was certain, saying Ajit Pawar wanted the Pawar family to remain united. He also questioned Tatkare’s changing statements about earlier merger discussions. Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh made similar claims, alleging that meetings had taken place in Baramati and at Jayant Patil’s residence to discuss reunification.

Reports of internal differences add to NCP’s challenges

The merger question is not the only concern facing the party, with six senior NCP leaders including Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dilip Walse Patil and Dhananjay Munde, reportedly meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on November 2. Sunetra Pawar and her son Parth were not part of the delegation.

Reports suggested that the leaders raised concerns about collective leadership, internal consultations and Parth Pawar’s growing involvement in party affairs. The NCP, however, rejected reports of an internal rift, saying the meeting had been planned in advance.

Sunetra Pawar, who took charge of the party after Ajit’s death and became Deputy Chief Minister, has also been holding meetings with senior leaders. According to reports, concerns over internal coordination and the party’s functioning were raised during recent core committee discussions.

NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil defended Sunetra and her sons, Parth and Jay, saying the family had dedicated itself to the organisation following Ajit Pawar’s death. He also said Sunetra herself had sought an appointment with Shah for the senior leaders.

Is BJP playing a role in the possible reunification?

Political speculation has also grown following Sharad Pawar’s hospitalisation and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reported phone call to the veteran leader. According to Sharad Pawar’s associate Vitthal Maniyar, Modi told him,”Supriya and I will take care of the country. You should take care of your health and remain strong to bless us.”

The conversation has drawn attention because of the political distance between the two leaders. However, it does not establish any understanding between them. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also visited Sharad Pawar in hospital, describing his visit as personal rather than political.

The BJP’s interest in a possible understanding with Sharad Pawar has also become a subject of discussion. His influence extends beyond electoral politics, particularly through cooperative institutions, sugar factories, district banks and local political networks in western Maharashtra. Any political understanding with him could have wider implications for the BJP’s presence in the region.

For now, neither a merger nor a leadership change has been confirmed. With senior leaders raising questions about the party’s functioning and the possibility of reunification still being discussed, the NCP faces a difficult task of maintaining unity while deciding its political future after Ajit Pawar.New