Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday advised ailing NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to take complete rest, telling him that his daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule is ready to take care of the country. The Prime Minister's remarks came amid speculation over a possible merger between the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which had earlier been denied by leaders of the two factions.PM Modi's remarks, which he made over the phone, also came as Pawar was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital for further tests, hours after being discharged from Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune.Sule, 57, announced her father's hospitalisation in a post on X. “We are admitting Baba to Breach Candy Hospital for further tests.

Thank you all for your concern and good wishes,” she wrote.Pawar was discharged from the Pune hospital, where he had been undergoing medical tests since Monday following complaints of cough and chest pain. PM Modi enquired about the 85-year-old leader's health, advising him to take complete rest, Pawar's aide Vitthal Maniyar said. “The Prime Minister called Pawar saheb this morning to enquire about his health.

He spoke to him with great affection and respect and requested him to take complete rest,” Maniyar told reporters.Recalling the conversation, Maniyar said PM Modi told Pawar that Supriya Sule and others were ready to take care of the country while he rested. “PM Modi told him that Supriya was now ready and she and others would take care of the country, while Pawar saheb should rest,” he said. PM Modi's remarks came amid speculation over a possible merger between the two NCP factions.

The NCP split in 2023 following a rebellion by Ajit Pawar. However, Sharad Pawar played down the merger speculation in September, saying his faction would not merge with any other party.According to Maniyar, Pawar thanked PM Modi for enquiring about his health and said he was resting and had no concerns about the country.Earlier, Dr Purvez K Grant, chief cardiologist, chairman and managing trustee of Ruby Hall Clinic, had said Pawar was admitted for a general check-up and medical observation following complaints of pleuritic pain.After Pawar's admission to the Ruby Hall Clinic on Monday, Sule had said that his father was undergoing medical tests and that his health parameters are stable.- Ends(with inputs from PTI)