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Ajit Pawar led a massive split in the NCP in 2023, after which the Election Commission recognised his faction as the official NCP.
Is Sharad Pawar-Ajit Pawar reunion on the cards? (PTI File Image)
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew, Rohit Pawar, has stoked speculations over a possible merger of the party with Ajit Pawar’s faction, stating that Supriya Sule has been “entrusted” to take a final call on the matter.
Rohit, a Karjat-Jamkhed MLA, said once Sule returns from abroad – where she is representing India as part of a delegation to expose Pakistan’s backing of terrorism – she would clarify her stance on the merger of the party.
His remarks came in response to merger rumours.
“Sharad Pawar has entrusted Supriya with this responsibility, and until she returns and speaks clearly on the matter… She is currently abroad and will return on June 5, and after that, we are all waiting for her views,” Rohit said on Saturday.
He claimed that discussions on the merger have not yet taken place among party leaders. “Until Supriya returns and clarifies, we won’t be able to shed light on this,” he said.
“No one really knows what Pawar saheb is thinking. When he makes a decision, it’s usually surprising and unexpected. Even if he says something political, the outcome might be different. What happens next depends on him, but he always chooses what he believes is best for the people,” he added.
Ajit Pawar broke away from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on July 2, 2023, when he, along with eight other NCP leaders, joined the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) alliance in Maharashtra. He was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, marking a significant split in the party.
The huge political step resulted in the formation of two factions within the NCP, which was founded by Sharad Pawar.
The division resulted in a legal battle over the party’s name and symbol. On February 6, 2024, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the official NCP, granting it the party’s name and symbol.
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes…Read More
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes… Read More
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