Sanjay Raut says Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) will not join NDA amid merger buzz

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Sunday that the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), or NCP (SP), led by Sharad Pawar, will not join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He made the remark at a time when speculation is rife about a possible merger of the two NCP factions.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said the NCP (SP), led by Sharad Pawar, would not become part of the ruling alliance. His statement comes after several NCP leaders met Sharad Pawar over the past few days. Talk of the two factions reuniting has followed these meetings.

Speculation about a merger got further fuel earlier this week. Senior NCP leaders met Sharad Pawar, who was recently admitted to hospital with a chest infection. Parth Pawar, son of the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, met Sharad Pawar on Saturday at his residence, Silver Oak, in South Mumbai. Meanwhile, NCP leader Praful Patel met the NCP (SP) chief at Breach Candy Hospital.

A video also went viral on social media in which Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel appear to talk about a possible meeting after November 10. Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare said that had Ajit Pawar been alive, the two factions would have merged in February this year. Despite all this, Raut stood by his claim that the NCP (SP) will not go to the NDA.

Raut also commented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Sunday, the Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with security personnel at a CRPF camp in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, as part of his tradition of celebrating festivals with the security forces. Questioning the impact of such visits, Raut said that celebrating festivals with the jawans would not stop Chinese incursions or terror attacks such as Pulwama and Pahalgam.

Raut also criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis celebrated Diwali with farmers in Lohari Savanga village in Nagpur on Saturday and Sunday. Raut described these visits as a one-day event. He said such visits would not solve farmers' problems, especially when parts of the state face drought conditions.

Raut demanded that the government take concrete steps to address farmers' concerns and not limit its engagement with them to festival visits. He also said ministers and government representatives should visit affected farmers regularly.