Sunetra Pawar opposes NCP merger; Sharad Pawar's party explores joining NDA separately: sources

Speculation is running high in Maharashtra over whether the two Nationalist Congress parties will unite and whether Sharad Pawar's NCP will go with the NDA. According to sources, MLAs of the party have been receiving phone calls from the office of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. The outreach has been going on for the past two days.

The calls are said to be aimed at gauging the MLAs' stand and the current situation. They are being asked whether a merger should take place. Their views are also being sought on what role the MLAs would play in the political equations that may emerge.

Meanwhile, sources say the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) is exploring the possibility of joining the NDA as a separate party. Given the hurdles in the way of a merger, sources said, talks are on about the option of going into power as a separate party instead of merging.

Amid the strong buzz about the NCP and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) coming together, Supriya Sule made a significant statement in Delhi on Thursday. She said plainly that the talk of a merger ended the moment her brother left. After her remark, a question began to be raised in political circles over whether talks between the two parties had stopped.

Amid this discussion, sources have said that the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has begun exploring whether it can join the Mahayuti as a separate party. According to sources, if the party joins the NDA as a separate constituent, it could be offered an important portfolio at the Centre and a place in the state Cabinet as well. Sources also said senior NCP leaders have conveyed that a merger is not possible for them, but they have no objection if Sharad Pawar's party is taken in as a separate party.

According to sources, NCP national president Sunetra Pawar does not want the two parties to unite. Sources said she has herself told the Mahayuti's state leaders this. The message conveyed was that the two NCPs should not merge, or a question over their own existence could arise in future, and that for now the merger of the two has no approval from them.

Sources also said Sunetra Pawar has indicated that if the Mahayuti is thinking differently about the other NCP, or if the other NCP is to join the NDA as an independent constituent of the Mahayuti, she will not oppose it.