Sambhajinagar, Jan 9 (IANS) Maharashtra NCP Chief Sunil Tatkare has said that while he does not personally oppose a merger between the Ajit Pawar faction with NCP-SP, any such decision would be made collectively by the party leadership.

He spoke at length on merger between two factions and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s strategic shift since joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Tatkare defended the decision to join the NDA, noting that the move had been under internal discussion for years.

“We faced criticism for this role and continue to do so, but we remain firm in our decision to stay with the NDA,” he said.

When asked if veteran leader Sharad Pawar should join the NDA, Tatkare remained cautious.

“I am not a big enough leader to advise Sharad Pawar on such matters; I know my limitations,” he remarked.

Addressing Ajit Pawar’s recent comments regarding a potential merger, Tatkare clarified that the sentiment is currently localised.

“While the two NCP factions are contesting together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the talk of a formal merger has not reached his desk as State NCP President yet. Ajit Pawar, as NCP President, has the authority to state this position, but for now, it remains limited to specific regions,” he clarified.

Tatkare took a swipe at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat for suggesting Sharad Pawar might join the NDA.

“Shirsat is usually on point, but sometimes he slips. His statement lacks the necessary authority,” he said.

In a related development, NCP President and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in an interview to a Marathi channel said, “We haven’t given it a thought yet because of the election rush. However, I have observed that the ground-level workers are satisfied (with the current cooperation). All I will say is that in politics, no one is a permanent friend and no one is a permanent enemy. You can draw your own conclusions from that.”

To a specific query if the two NCP factions would officially reunite, he said that the current focus is entirely on the elections, he left the door wide open for the future.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s remark led to a debate in the state political circle over the reunion between the uncle and the nephew who separated in June 2023.

Following the high-profile reconciliation of the Thackeray brothers ahead of the 29 Municipal Corporation elections, all eyes are now on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The reunion buzz between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar is currently very high, specifically because their respective Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions have formally announced a local-level alliance for the ongoing Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body elections.

The political observers said that if the Pawars follow suit, it would represent a massive tectonic shift in Maharashtra’s political landscape, potentially consolidating the Maratha vote bank and altering the state’s power dynamics.

–IANS

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