Ajit Pawar Was Keen On NCP Merger; Process Nearly Complete Days Before His Death, Explosive Revelation By Late Deputy CM's Close Aide

Mumbai: Late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was strongly in favour of a reunification of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the process was on the verge of completion before his untimely death, a close associate of the leader has claimed.

Kiran Gujar, who had known Ajit Pawar since before his entry into politics in the mid-1980s, told news agency PTI on Thursday that Pawar had personally shared details of the impending merger with him just five days before the fatal plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday.

“He was one hundred per cent keen on merging both factions of the NCP. He told me that the entire process was complete and that the merger would happen within the next few days,” Gujar said, indicating that back-channel negotiations had reached an advanced stage.

Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise has now brought both the merger talks and the party’s leadership succession into sharp focus. With the NCP facing a leadership vacuum, political activity within the party has intensified, particularly around the future role of Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar.

Sunetra Pawar Emerges As Leading Contender To Succeed Ajit Pawar 

Sources within the party said Sunetra Pawar has emerged as a leading contender to inherit Ajit Pawar’s political mantle. A section of NCP leaders is reportedly pushing for her appointment as Deputy Chief Minister, induction into the Maharashtra cabinet, elevation as NCP president, and nomination as the party’s candidate for the Baramati Assembly by-election, which is due within the next six months.

Senior NCP leaders have already begun internal consultations. According to sources, leaders including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde and Sunil Tatkare have met Sunetra Pawar in recent days as part of deliberations on the party’s future direction.

NCP leader Narhari Zirwal has publicly demanded that Sunetra Pawar be made Deputy Chief Minister, stating that it reflects the will of the people. Zirwal pointed out that Sunetra Pawar is currently a Rajya Sabha member and has political experience at the national level.

The Baramati Assembly seat, long considered Ajit Pawar’s political stronghold, is also central to these discussions. Sources said Sunetra Pawar is likely to contest the by-election from the constituency vacated by her husband. Party leaders are expected to formally discuss leadership and power-sharing arrangements with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Praful Patel, the working president of the NCP, is expected to play a crucial role in steering the party during this transition period. Ajit Pawar’s sons, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar, are understood to be assisting in organisational matters but are not actively involved in electoral politics.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the future course of action will be decided after consultations with NCP leaders. Political observers believe that with the BJP in power both at the Centre and in Maharashtra, it is likely to play a major role in shaping the next phase of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.

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