Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: Amid reports of a possible merger of two NCP factions, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought to dismiss the claims and said that if any such discussions were going on, late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar would have told him. "If both factions of the NCP were discussing a merger, wouldn't Ajit Dada have spoken to me?" Fadnavis said.
Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Pune's Baramati on January 28. Following his death, several senior leaders of both NCP factions claimed that Pawar was keen on merging the two camps and was likely to announce after February 7.
Fadnavis dispels NCP merger rumours
Fadnavis, however, shrugged off the ongoing discussions about a possible merger of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), attempting to dispel these speculations.
Speaking at a press conference at his official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai on Sunday, the Chief Minister said, “Ajit Pawar was in our government, and I had very good personal relations with him. If they were discussing a merger of the two NCP factions and had even finalised a date, wouldn't they have told me? Wouldn't they have discussed the merger with the BJP?”
Ajit Pawar had in July 2024, parted ways with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra along with eight MLAs, resulting in a split in the NCP.
Fadnavis further clarified, “I have no information about what transpired between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar. I also have no information about any date being finalised for a merger. I don't think it's appropriate for me to make political statements at this time. I could say a lot, but I won't.”
He also said that political parties make their own decisions and the BJP does not interfere in them. He indicated that both NCP factions are currently functioning independently.
NCP merger on cards
According to NCP sources, Ajit Pawar himself was going to make a major announcement regarding the merger of the two NCP factions after the district council election results on February 7. He was also scheduled to hold an important meeting of both NCP factions at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan in Mumbai or Pune on February 8, people close to the late leader claimed.
The sources said that the talks between the two factions of the NCP regarding the merger had reached the final stage and that the leaders had made all the preparations for a formal announcement after the results of the Zilla Parishad (District Council) elections.
According to sources, the municipal corporation results did not go in favour of either NCP faction, which saddened Ajit Pawar. Both NCP factions contested the civic polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad together, but the BJP emerged victorious with a majority in both corporations.
Senior NCP leader of the Sharad Pawar faction, Rohit Pawar will hold a press conference after February 9, to clear air on merger talks, sources said. Rohit is expected to present a clear and decisive picture regarding all the speculations surrounding the merger.
