Ajit Pawar, who was one of the sitting deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, was killed when the Learjet 45 he was travelling in crashed in Baramati on Wednesday. The merger discussions, led by Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil, had been underway for the past four months
Late NCP chief Ajit Pawar with NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar in a meeting at Baramati on January 17. Pic/PTI
The process to merge the two factions of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may now face a hurdle following Ajit Pawar’s death, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday.
Ajit Pawar, who was one of the sitting deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, was killed along with four others when the Learjet 45 they were travelling in crashed in Baramati, his hometown, on Wednesday.
The merger discussions, led by Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil, had been underway for the past four months, Sharad Pawar told reporters in Baramati.
"All discussions were held at their level, but it now appears the process may hit a roadblock following the (plane) accident. The talks were progressing in a positive direction, but the accident adversely affected the process," the former Union Minister said.
He added that efforts were being made to maintain cordial dialogue between the two factions: NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and NCP, which was headed by Ajit Pawar.
When asked whether the merger would continue, Sharad Pawar said he did not know, as he was not part of the discussions.
It was Ajit's wish to unite the two factions: Sharad Pawar
"It was Ajit's wish to unite the two factions, and now it is our wish that his wish should be fulfilled," Sharad Pawar said.
"We cannot bring Ajit back. We have lost him. Now we have to see how to face the situation," he added.
Sharad Pawar said a consensus had been reached for the factions to work together, and the process had already begun.
"The decision on the merger was supposed to be announced on February 12. Ajit had given this date, but unfortunately, the accident took place," he noted.
During the recent civic polls, in which the two factions contested together, Ajit Pawar had also told select journalists that he intended to merge his party with the NCP (SP) while Sharad Pawar, 85, was in good health.
After contesting the January 15 civic elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad jointly, the two factions had decided to continue the alliance for next month’s Zilla Parishad elections.
No discussion with me about Sunetra Pawar's swearing-in: Sharad Pawar
The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, had split after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government in July 2023. He was appointed the deputy CM then and continued in the post after Devendra Fadnavis became the CM following the Mahayuti's victory in the November 2024 assembly polls.
Sharad Pawar also said that the NCP (SP) was unaware of the swearing-in of Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, as deputy CM in the Fadnavis government.
"I am not aware of the swearing-in. I didn't even know that it was scheduled for today. There was no discussion with me about the swearing-in. Her party (NCP) may have made the decision. The names of Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare came up, and it is learnt that they took the initiative. They might have taken a decision internally within the party," he said.
Sunetra Pawar, 62, was on Saturday sworn in as the first woman deputy CM of Maharashtra. She took the oath of office and secrecy administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a brief ceremony at Lok Bhavan. Earlier, she was elected as the state NCP legislature party leader.
(With PTI inputs)
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