Efforts to reunite the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions appear to have hit a roadblock, with differences over leadership, organisational control and future political alignment complicating the proposed merger. While senior leaders have renewed contact with Sharad Pawar, Sunetra Pawar and her son Parth Pawar are understood to be reluctant about an immediate reunification.
This raises questions over the future of the party and who would control it if the two factions came together.The renewed merger speculation follows a series of meetings at Silver Oak, the Mumbai residence of Sharad Pawar, involving leaders from both factions. Parth Pawar, son of late Ajit Pawar and a Rajya Sabha MP, met his grandfather twice in two consecutive days.
Both meetings reportedly lasted close to two hours.NCP (SP) Maharashtra president Shashikant Shinde also met Sharad Pawar twice, while senior leaders from the Sharad Pawar faction, including Jayant Patil, Amol Kolhe, Anil Deshmukh and Jitendra Awhad, held a separate meeting with him that lasted nearly three hours. Rohit Pawar also met his granduncle.The meetings have fuelled speculation that efforts are underway to revive the merger proposal that Ajit Pawar had pursued during his lifetime.
Several leaders involved in the recent interactions were also part of the earlier negotiations between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. Jayant Patil, in particular, had played an important role in those discussions.
However, there is no apparent consensus within the Sunetra Pawar-led faction on taking the proposal forward. The question has increasingly shifted from whether the two factions should reunite to who would lead the merged organisation, how its organisational structure would be determined and which political alliance it would support.SUNIL TATKARE'S CHANGING POSITION ADDS TO SPECULATIONThe changing statements by NCP state president Sunil Tatkare have added another dimension to the merger debate.
Initially, Tatkare acknowledged that discussions between the two factions had taken place and that Ajit Pawar had explained the framework and vision for the proposed reunification. He also indicated that February 12 had been identified as the date for the merger."Had Ajit Dada been alive, the merger of the two factions would have been completed on February 12," Tatkare said.In a separate statement, Tatkare said Ajit Pawar had personally explained how the merger would unfold and that the process had been halted following his sudden death.
He addied that discussions on the subject had continued even after Ajit Pawar's death.However, within three days of his initial remarks, Tatkare appeared to distance himself from any suggestion that a merger decision had already been taken. He said the final call would rest with Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar."If there is any issue of merger, our National President Sunetra Pawar will take the decision.
The decision will be taken by Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar, who have been working for six decades. I don't know whether or not a merger is being discussed," he said.His remarks have highlighted the uncertainty within the party over the proposal, even as senior leaders continue to maintain contact with the Sharad Pawar faction.PRAFUL PATEL'S MEETING WITH SHARAD PAWAR ADDS MOMENTUMA video showing NCP working president Praful Patel meeting Sharad Pawar at Breach Candy Hospital has also intensified speculation about renewed political negotiations.During their interaction, Sharad Pawar indicated that the two sides should sit together after November 10.
Patel subsequently said his visit was primarily to enquire about the veteran leader's health.He also maintained that personal and family relations had continued despite political differences, suggesting that political discussions could be held separately.The interaction has assumed significance amid the renewed attempts by leaders of both factions to establish communication. However, neither side has publicly confirmed that a formal merger process has been initiated.PARTH PAWAR'S GROWING INFLUENCE TRIGGERS RESENTMENTWhile the merger debate has attracted attention, internal differences within the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP have emerged as another major obstacle.Parth Pawar's increasing involvement in organisational decisions has reportedly caused resentment among senior leaders, particularly over appointments made without adequate consultation with the party's experienced leadership.His decisions to appoint Zeeshan Siddique as Mumbai city president and Umesh Patil as chief spokesperson reportedly triggered objections within the organisation.The issue came up during a core committee meeting at Devgiri, the official residence of Sunetra Pawar, ahead of a meeting of NCP legislators.
Senior leaders are understood to have raised strong objections to Parth's style of functioning.The meeting of NCP MLAs at Devgiri was held after a gap of nearly four months, with Parth Pawar also in attendance. However, the concerns raised during the preceding core committee meeting indicated that differences over organisational control remain unresolved.A senior NCP leader told India Today that Sunetra Pawar was not paying sufficient attention to the growing differences within the organisation.
Some senior leaders reportedly believe that important decisions are increasingly being taken without consulting experienced members of the party.Against this backdrop, the renewed engagement with Sharad Pawar is being viewed by some political observers as an attempt by senior leaders to explore alternative arrangements and build pressure for a broader political settlement.SENIOR NCP LEADERS' MEETING WITH AMIT SHAH RAISES QUESTIONSThe internal differences became more apparent two weeks ago when senior NCP leaders Dilip Walse Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Tatkare and Dhananjay Munde travelled to Delhi and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah.Notably, neither Sunetra Pawar nor her sons, Parth and Jay Pawar, were part of the meeting. The same group of senior leaders had earlier met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.One of the key issues discussed was the Finance portfolio, which was held by Ajit Pawar before his death.
According to sources, the BJP leadership had indicated its willingness to return the portfolio to the NCP.The meetings have also raised questions about the leadership structure within the party and the role of its senior leaders in deciding its future political course.BJP'S LARGER POLITICAL CALCULATIONSThe merger debate also has a larger political dimension, with the BJP understood to be exploring possible political arrangements involving Sharad Pawar.According to a senior BJP leader, discussions have taken place in Delhi about the possibility of bringing the veteran NCP leader closer to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).A section of the BJP leadership reportedly believes that Sharad Pawar's political influence and relationships across party lines could have wider implications for national politics, particularly his position within the Opposition's INDIA bloc.Bringing Sharad Pawar into the NDA could potentially weaken the Opposition alliance while expanding the BJP-led coalition's political support base.Sources also indicated that the possibility of a ministerial position for Supriya Sule has figured in these broader political calculations.Another possibility being discussed is whether the two NCP factions could independently support the NDA without formally merging. Such an arrangement could allow the BJP to secure political support from both sides without requiring an immediate organisational reunification.According to a senior BJP leader, the NCP had earlier adopted a favourable position towards the NDA on the delimitation issue.
However, subsequent political developments have complicated the calculations surrounding the numbers required for important legislative decisions.Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has maintained that the merger decision rests with the two NCP factions, while indicating that the BJP, as the largest partner in the NDA, would be consulted if such a proposal moves forward.Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said both factions were independent political parties and would have to take a joint decision on reunification."These are two parties and both are independent. The decisions of the two parties will be taken by them together.
On one side, there is a senior leader like Sharad Pawar and on the other, there are Sunetra Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and Parth Pawar. I don't think it would be appropriate for us to comment on their merger," he said.Fadnavis added that the BJP had advised both sides to sit together and discuss the matter.
However, he said neither faction had informed the BJP that formal merger discussions were underway.He also indicated that the NCP faction led by Sunetra Pawar would consult the BJP before taking any major decision, given the latter's position as the largest partner in the NDA."As the biggest partner in this alliance, we will be consulted if they decide to take a step like a merger. However, neither of the two NCP factions has informed us so far that such discussions are taking place," he said.Meanwhile, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar has dismissed speculation about an imminent merger, saying there had been no such discussion within his party.Speaking to reporters after meeting Sharad Pawar, Rohit said neither the veteran leader nor NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule had discussed a merger or any political alignment with the BJP.With Sunetra Pawar and Parth yet to signal clear enthusiasm for an immediate merger, senior leaders raising concerns over organisational control and the BJP weighing the wider political implications, the reunification proposal remains uncertain.Although Ajit Pawar had worked towards bringing the two factions together, his death has left unresolved questions over leadership, the terms of a merger and the political direction of the proposed united NCP.- Ends