Amid renewed speculation over a possible merger of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut on Wednesday claimed that 20 to 22 legislators from the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP could break away and either return to Sharad Pawar's faction or join another political party ahead of the elections.

Speaking to reporters, Raut said the NCP legislators meeting NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were not merely engaging in casual conversations, suggesting that the interactions could have a larger political significance, news agency IANS reported.