NCP (SP) leader rules out merger with Sunetra Pawar-led NCP

Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Shashikant Shinde on Wednesday said the issue of merger with the ruling NCP is over, ruling out any future discussion amid renewed speculation triggered by a meeting between party chief Sharad Pawar and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare.

After attending a party meeting chaired by Sharad Pawar, the NCP (SP) state unit president said the focus is on strengthening the party organisation and intensifying public agitations under the banner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of reports of internal strife in the ruling NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, wherein party veterans Tatkare and Praful Patel have apparently been sidelined. Tatkare met Sharad Pawar in Mumbai last week.

Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), chaired the key party meet to discuss the political situation in the country and Maharashtra and formulate strategies to revive the party.

Shinde said discussions were held with MPs, MLAs, and leaders who had contested elections, office-bearers and party workers on building the party as a strong opposition force under Pawar's leadership.

''There is no question of any merger (with ruling NCP). The issue of the merger is completely over now. I had said this earlier, and I am repeating it again -- there will be no such discussion in future,'' Shinde added.

The Nationalist Congress Party, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar (now deceased) joined the BJP-led Mahayuti government with several MLAs loyal to him, and took oath as deputy CM. The Election Commission recognised the breakaway faction as the real NCP.

Shinde said several leaders, elected representatives and workers expressed their views during the party meeting and stressed the need to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level.

Referring to criticism that some leaders were not visible among the people or during agitations, Shinde said the party leadership had taken note of such concerns and would give priority to workers actively involved in organisational work and protests.

He said the party would aggressively raise issues such as the NEET examination controversy, inflation, rise in cooking gas prices and fuel-related problems through agitations along with MVA allies- Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress.

Responding to a query, Shinde said meetings between Pawar and other political leaders should not be viewed from a different angle, noting that many leaders have been associated with Pawar for years.

''The strategy now is to strengthen the organisation, mobilise public opinion against the present political situation and create a different political atmosphere in Maharashtra through people's movements,'' he said.

Alongside deliberations on the NCP (SP)'s performance in the 2024 assembly polls and the local body elections held earlier this year, the party's stance on key political, economic and social issues, as well as preparations for its foundation day programme on June 10, was discussed at the meeting.

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar's absence at the meeting triggered speculation over the likely cause.

Rohit said he couldn't attend the meeting as he visited Irrigation Bhavan in Pune to raise the issue of water for agriculturists.

''The reports being aired on some sections of the media about me being upset are baseless. We are workers functioning under the guidance of respected Pawar Saheb,'' he stated on X.

He said the issue of water from the Janai-Shirsai project for farmers in the Kukadi region of his constituency (in Ahilyanagar district) and in Baramati (Pune district) had become critical, forcing him to make an unplanned visit to the Irrigation Bhavan in Pune.

''Had there not been pressure on the administration and had they honoured their promise to release the water, I could have attended the pre-scheduled meeting in Mumbai today instead of coming to the Irrigation Bhavan in Pune,'' he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)