Sharad Pawar Clarifies NCP Merger Talks: Devendra Fadnavis Had No Role

NEW DELHI: Senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar addressed the recent developments surrounding the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) merger talks. On Wednesday, Pawar clarified that the discussions on a possible merger of the two NCP factions were primarily held between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. He emphasized that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had no involvement in these talks and thus, no right to comment on them.

Asserting his satisfaction with the recent political developments, Pawar expressed his happiness at Sunetra Pawar's appointment as the Deputy Chief Minister. “I am happy that Sunetra Pawar is sworn in as Deputy CM. The merger discussions were held between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. CM Fadnavis was not involved in the talks. What right did he have to talk about it?” Pawar stated at a press conference in Baramati.

The focus of the NCP is currently on supporting those who are grieving the loss of Ajit Pawar, who tragically passed away on January 28 following an aircraft crash near Baramati airport in Pune district. “At present, our entire focus is on taking care of everyone and moving forward together with those who are grieving. As of now, there is no discussion at all about any political decisions,” Pawar added.

Devendra Fadnavis, on the other hand, had previously commented on the situation, questioning the involvement of Ajit Pawar in merger talks without consulting the BJP. “If Ajit Pawar was holding discussions on the merger, would he have done so without taking BJP into confidence? Second, supposing he was holding such discussions, was he doing it to get out of NDA when he was stable in the govt. Some like to create confusion and then use one’s ecosystem to amplify confusion... You all know that the relationship between Ajitdada and me was such that he shared everything with me. Even a day before his unfortunate death, we both sat together chit chatting for an hour,” Fadnavis said.

Sharad Pawar also addressed his absence from Parliament on Budget Day, a first in his long political career. “Whether it is the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly or the Lok Sabha of the country, I have been a member for the past 58 years. In all these 58 years, I have never been absent from Parliament on Budget Day. Unfortunately, due to an incident in my family, I could not be present in Parliament on the day of the Budget this time,” he explained.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) continues to navigate through these challenging times, focusing on unity and respect for the memory of Ajit Pawar. The party's leadership is committed to maintaining stability and ensuring a smooth transition of power. Sunetra Pawar's appointment as Deputy Chief Minister is seen as a significant step in this direction, symbolizing the party's resolve to move forward despite the recent loss.