Addressing party workers and the media in Baramati, Sharad Pawar said that any dialogue related to a potential reunification of the NCP was being handled internally. He clarified that senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar had been leading the discussions, countering Fadnavis’s recent assertion that Ajit Pawar would have informed him if merger talks were genuinely underway.
Fadnavis had earlier questioned the credibility of reports suggesting a merger between the two NCP factions, stating that no such communication had been shared with him despite Ajit Pawar being a key ally in the ruling coalition. Sharad Pawar responded by reiterating that the process, if any, was an internal party matter and did not require validation from leaders outside the NCP.
The political developments unfolded alongside commemorative events organised in Baramati following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on January 28. On Wednesday, Sharad Pawar met Ajit Pawar’s sons at Vidya Pratishthan, a key educational and political hub associated with the Pawar family. The meeting was seen as symbolically significant, marking continuity in party engagement after the loss of a central leader.
Two major programmes were highlighted during the day. The NCP Youth Congress announced a nationwide ‘Kalash Yatra’ in memory of Ajit Pawar. The urn procession is scheduled to travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari between February 4 and 7, covering 14 states, with party leaders describing it as an effort to connect cadres across regions and honour Ajit Pawar’s political legacy.
In addition, the first formal meeting of NCP leaders at Vidya Pratishthan since Ajit Pawar’s passing was held on Wednesday. Party functionaries said the meeting marked the resumption of organisational activities and deliberations on the party’s future course.
Earlier, leaders from Sharad Pawar’s faction had indicated that February 12 was being discussed as a tentative date for a possible merger announcement, though no official confirmation has been made. Sharad Pawar maintained that decisions would be taken through consultation within the party and at an appropriate time.
The developments signal a period of recalibration within Maharashtra’s political landscape, as the NCP navigates leadership transitions, alliance dynamics, and questions over reunification.
