The unfortunate and tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has saddened the entire state and sent shockwaves through the political sphere. This incident will have long-term effects on politics in Maharashtra, but even in the short term it has caused major upheaval within Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of the ruling BJP-led NDA alliance at both the Centre and the state level. Much discussion now centres on whether the two factions of the NCP—one led by founder Sharad Pawar and the other previously led by Ajit Pawar—will unite in common interest. There had been significant buzz in political circles about meetings between the two sides to decide how they would contest local self-government polls together as one force.
Conflicting signals from party leaders
However, matters became confusing for party workers and activists in both factions, with leaders of the Ajit Pawar faction denying that there were any talks of a merger, while the Sharad Pawar group continued to state in the media that several meetings had taken place since December 2025 to explore reunification. This clearly indicates that after the sudden death of Ajit Pawar, certain NCP leaders are no longer keen on a merger of the two factions.
Meetings before Ajit Pawar’s demise
There is no denying that on December 11, 2025, NCP leaders Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare met party founder Sharad Pawar on the eve of his birthday in New Delhi. Party insiders say discussions were held on how the two factions could come together as a joint force. This was evident in the seat-sharing arrangement for the municipal polls held on January 15, 2025, where both factions contested jointly in Pune and the Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations. These developments clearly indicate that talks had taken place earlier. However, Ajit Pawar’s demise has altered the situation entirely.
Leadership question after unification
Earlier discussions between the two factions reportedly involved a broad understanding that a unified NCP would be led by Ajit Pawar, with Sharad Pawar gradually retiring from active politics. Insiders reveal that there were talks on Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule working together in New Delhi at the parliamentary level, while Ajit Pawar, along with leaders like Chhagan Bhujbal and Jayant Patil, would manage affairs in Maharashtra.
Discomfort within the party
With Ajit Pawar no longer in the picture, the dynamics have changed completely. If the two factions were to unite now, the combined party would clearly be led by Sharad Pawar himself. There is no other leader who can replace Ajit Pawar as the central figure of a unified NCP. This prospect has unsettled many within the party, who are uncomfortable with the veteran leader reassuming control at both the state and national levels. This explains why several leaders are now denying that any unification talks took place and are attempting to avoid a merger.
Sunetra Pawar’s elevation
The swift move to nominate Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, as his political heir and have her sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister stems from this very concern. Party leaders feared that unification would allow Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule to reclaim leadership of a united NCP. To counter this possibility, Sunetra Pawar was projected as Ajit Pawar’s successor. The BJP, meanwhile, moved quickly to its advantage and assumed control of the crucial finance ministry in Maharashtra during the post-demise transition.
A new twist in talks
A new development has now emerged with the entry of a top industrialist as a mediator. Sources within the NCP suggest that talks between the two factions on unification may resume under this mediation. Insiders also claim that the BJP’s central leadership is keen on bringing Sharad Pawar’s NCP into the NDA fold at the Centre, as his Lok Sabha MPs could bolster the BJP’s support base.
Whether the unification of the NCP ultimately materialises remains an open question. What is certain is that it will continue to be a burning topic in political discussions in the weeks ahead.
Rohit Chandavarkar is a senior journalist who has worked for 31 years with leading newspaper brands and television channels in Mumbai and Pune.
