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National

Sharad Pawar not to align with BJP.

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 28 Sep 2026 28 Sep 2026

Politics in Maharashtra is taking several twists and turns. The NCP, led by veteran leader Sharad Pawar, has announced that there would be no alliance with the BJP. He also said that the doors of the NCP were open to those who wanted to join his party. This has fuelled speculation in political circles about a possible merger between the two NCP factions.

The NCP was split in 2023 when the Ajit Pawar faction broke away and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government. Subsequently, the Election Commission recognised the Ajit Pawar faction as the NCP and allotted it the party name and symbol. The Sharad Pawar-led faction was given the name NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Following the death of Ajit Pawar in a tragic air accident, the party is now led by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and is part of the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra.

Some time ago, there were speculations about backroom discussions for a possible reunion of the two NCP factions. Before the monsoon session of Parliament, there was another round of speculation that the NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, was moving closer to the BJP and would support the government in passing important Bills in Parliament.

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which also comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress.

Speculation about the unification of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, which is part of the Mahayuti government, often crops up in state political circles.

The Sharad Pawar faction has maintained an anti-BJP stand since 2023. While the BJP has welcomed any support for passing Bills in Parliament, it has not been looking for a formal alliance, as having two NCP factions as allies could create complications. If the faction led by Sharad Pawar were to become a BJP ally, it could create new problems for the saffron party, including questions over representation in the Union Cabinet, constituencies and leadership in Maharashtra. It could also pose challenges during the next elections.

While some believe that Sharad Pawar could play an important role in reuniting the INDIA bloc against the BJP, analysts feel that he may focus more on consolidating the Maratha vote and the cooperative network ahead of the 2029 elections.

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