The proposed merger of the NCP (Ajit Pawar) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is "very much on course", with talks having reached an "advanced stage". Reunification discussions between the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions were already underway when Ajit Pawar was alive, and the passing of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister is unlikely to derail them, reports claim.
The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, was vertically split after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government in July 2023. He was appointed Deputy CM at that time, a stint that continued after Devendra Fadnavis came to the helm as CM following the November 2024 assembly polls. At present, the NCP is part of the Mahayuti government, while the NCP (SP) is a constituent of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The claim over the party name and poll symbol previously saw a bitter contest, with Ajit Pawar's camp securing the original 'NCP' name and the analogue alarm clock symbol.
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Talks of a merger gained momentum after the recent civic polls, where the two parties contested in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad together. High-level discussions involving Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, and Jayant Patil focused on broader political direction, leadership alignment, and long-term electoral strategy. Secondary-level discussions were handled by leaders such as Shashikant Shinde, Rajesh Tope, and Amol Kolhe, who addressed organisational and tactical issues.
Ajit Pawar reportedly viewed a possible reunion through a long-term vision, particularly with the 2029 elections and the party's future relevance in mind. He was confident that a merger would eventually materialise with the consent of his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Despite being part of the ruling alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar consistently maintained that he was a secular leader committed to the progressive ideological legacy of 'Shahu, Phule, and Ambedkar'.
According to sources, the strategy was to "test the waters" during the local body elections and consolidate the vote bank of both groups before announcing a full-scale merger. A tentative merger announcement was originally planned for 8 February, shortly after the conclusion of the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls. "The process of bringing the family and the party back together was already in motion. Ajit Dada himself had held several rounds of discussions with senior leaders to bridge the gap," sources told PTI.
However, in Ajit Dada’s absence, the merger will also bring a change in power dynamics. The NCP (SP) camp believes that Sharad Pawar will now naturally resume a "central role" in guiding the unified cadre. As things stand, the focus of the NCP (Ajit Pawar) is fixed on proposing Ajit Pawar's widow, Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP, for the post of Deputy CM.
"If the merger happens, NCP (SP) leaders would play pivotal roles in the state's governance and party organisation," the source added. Analysts say a united NCP would possess a formidable combination of nine Lok Sabha MPs and a significant chunk of 51 MLAs, potentially shifting the balance within either the ruling Mahayuti alliance or the opposition MVA. The reunification is also seen as a move to reclaim the "sugar bowl" of Western Maharashtra, where the BJP made significant inroads during the recent civic polls.
For now, NCP (SP) leaders maintain that their priority is the upcoming local polls on 7 February, which they are contesting in coordination with the Ajit Pawar-led faction as a tribute to the late leader's final political efforts.
Ajit Pawar (66), was killed along with four others when the chartered plane carrying them crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Pune district on Wednesday morning.