Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar on NCP merger talk: "You will know as time comes"

Speculation is rife in Maharashtra politics over a possible merger of the two Nationalist Congress parties. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said at a press conference, "As time comes, you will get to know the things." Her remark has stirred political circles, and further political developments are being predicted.

Several developments have emerged amid the talk. MLAs of Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party had sought time to meet senior leader Sharad Pawar, and sources had said they would meet him. The Pawar family has said, however, that Sharad Pawar is resting at his Silver Oak residence in Mumbai and will not meet anyone for the next few days. Earlier, Pankaj Bhujbal and his family had also met Sharad Pawar.

Umesh Patil, a leader of the Ajit Pawar camp, said clearly that their MLAs would not go to meet Sharad Pawar and that no talks on a merger were under way at present. On the other hand, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare had said last week, in what was described as a major disclosure, that had Ajit Pawar been alive, the NCP merger would have happened on the 12th itself. This added fuel to the speculation.

After Sharad Pawar was discharged from Breach Candy Hospital, Parth Pawar visited him at Silver Oak on two consecutive days, last Saturday and Sunday. At the Saturday meeting, Shashikant Shinde, state president of Sharad Pawar's NCP, former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Jitendra Awhad were also present. They spoke for about an hour and a half. These back-to-back meetings intensified talk that moves towards a merger were gathering pace.

Former minister Rajesh Tope also met Sharad Pawar today. Tope said it was only a family visit to enquire after his health. According to him, the drought-like situation in Marathwada was discussed and Sharad Pawar sought information from him on the drought. Tope made it clear that no political discussion took place at the meeting. He added that the claim that the parties were going to come together while Ajit Dada was alive was one they had acknowledged then too, but he had rejected it at the time.

Four days ago, NCP leader Praful Patel also visited Sharad Pawar at the hospital. After Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar's statement, the whole state is now watching what new equations emerge in Maharashtra politics in the coming days.