Pune, Jan 31: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed he had “no idea” about the swearing-in of Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, as Maharashtra deputy chief minister, and said that his late nephew had finalised February 12 to announce a merger between the NCP factions.
Reunion talks gain momentum
After the infamous split between Ajit Pawar and his uncle Sharad Pawar in 2023, reports of a possible reunion had begun circulating in recent days, with a preview of this thaw visible during the municipal corporation elections in the Pune district. However, following Ajit Pawar’s death, these reports gained further momentum, fuelling speculation that a reunion had become imminent.
Sharad Pawar speaks to media
While speaking to the media on Saturday, Sharad Pawar said, “We must now face this reality. To ease the grief of the people, we must dedicate ourselves to their service. The responsibility of the younger generation is now much greater.”
Regarding Sunetra Pawar’s swearing-in ceremony, he reiterated, “No discussions have taken place with us. Perhaps these discussions occurred in Mumbai. I know nothing about this, so what can I say?”
Merger date was fixed, says Pawar
The former chief minister added, “The talks to reunite both NCP groups had been in progress for four months. The responsibility for this was handled by Ajit Dada and Jayant Patil. However, the accident occurred and caused an interruption. There was a consensus between both parties to work together. This decision was supposed to be made public on February 12, a date provided by Ajit Pawar himself.”
Jayant Patil recalls discussions
Speaking about the recent happenings, NCP-SP leader Jayant Patil said, “I had commented on this on the evening Dada passed away. Recently, Ajit Dada visited my home many times. We had several discussions. He was adamant that the parties should reunite while Sharad Pawar was still active.”
Questions over hurried swearing-in
Speaking to the media in Satara about the apparent rush in the swearing-in ceremony, NCP-SP state president Shashikant Shinde said, “Only Sunetra Pawar, her family, the senior leaders of their party, or the Chief Minister can answer why this is being done in such a hurry.”
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Parth Pawar meets Sharad Pawar
Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar was seen arriving at the residence of Sharad Pawar in Baramati, where several NCP-SP leaders had gathered to discuss the party’s future strategy. The meeting took place amid heightened political activity following Ajit Pawar’s death and ongoing uncertainty over the future of the NCP and its leadership. Exactly what was discussed is not clear yet.
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