Tatkare says NCP merger would have happened had Ajit Pawar been alive; Anil Patil denies pressure tactic

NCP state president Sunil Tatkare has said that had Ajit Pawar been there, the two NCP parties would have merged. According to Tatkare, merger was discussed and he was told about it by Ajitdada. The statement has revived talk of a merger of the two NCPs.

It is also being said that, by making such a statement, Tatkare has in a way begun to put pressure on Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. Anil Patil, a leader of the Ajitdada camp, has responded directly.

Patil said he did not see it as a pressure tactic. According to him, core committee meetings have been going on for four days and party leaders are speaking to leaders of the NDA. Patil said these leaders had gone to discuss the problems of Maharashtra and other issues. He therefore did not think such meetings would put pressure on Sunita bhabhi. He added that the leaders held their talks with NDA leaders only after speaking to Sunita bhabhi.

Patil said decisions in the party are taken unanimously. What would have happened had Ajitdada been there is no longer a subject, he said. According to him, had Ajitdada taken any decision, they would have stood with him. Whatever is decided now will be under Sunita bhabhi's leadership.

According to Patil, some people in the party had made statements about a merger when Ajitdada passed away. The question of merger was also asked when the legislature party leader was being chosen. Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal had then said that no such discussion had taken place. Patil said these leaders had clearly said then that Ajitdada may have held talks with the Sharad Pawar camp, but no discussion had taken place with them and they had no knowledge of it.

Patil said a party meeting was held the day before yesterday and Tatkare said nothing on merger at that meeting either. According to him, why Tatkare has made this statement now is something only he would know and he should be asked. Patil said Tatkare always used to say that Dada had not discussed a merger, and kept saying so at all the meetings that were held. Patil made clear that there is no talk of merger at his level at present. Whether it took place at the senior level, he does not know.

Patil also spoke on the controversy over appointments in the party. He said appointments had been lying vacant since Dada left and have now been filled. No decision had been taken on them in eight months. Now that the appointments have been made, there is a discussion on why they were made. According to Patil, these appointments are important from an organisational point of view. He said appointments carry the state president's signature, differences can exist, but decisions are taken unanimously.