New Delhi [India], November 11 (ANI): Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday raised questions over the ongoing speculation regarding a potential reconciliation or merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Speaking to ANI on the complex political dynamics and the legal and structural contradictions of such a potential merger, Prithviraj Chavan said, "I can't talk about the NCP merger. One faction of them is an alliance partner with our party in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which is Sharad Pawar's faction... There are also rumours that the two factions may come together... The million-dollar question will be: after the merger, if it happens, will they remain with the NDA? Will the NCP of Sharad Pawar join the NDA indirectly, or will Ajit Pawar's NCP come out of the government?.. That could even lead to further splits... You cannot have a party which is in the NDA government and be part of the INDIA alliance; that cannot happen."
Following a major political rift, the party divided into two factions: one led by veteran leader Sharad Pawar—which forms a key component of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra and the national opposition INDIA bloc—and the other led by his nephew Ajit Pawar, who broke away to join the ruling Maha Yuti alliance alongside the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Persistent rumours of secret talks and a potential merger or reunification of the two factions have repeatedly unsettled opposition partners within the MVA.
Chavan’s observation highlights a structural reality under India’s anti-defection laws and political coalition frameworks. A single unified political entity cannot simultaneously sit in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) treasury benches and hold membership in the opposition INDIA bloc.
Sharad Pawar and leaders of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction have repeatedly maintained that their ideological stance remains firmly opposed to the BJP-led NDA, dismissing rumours of a merger that would require aligning with the ruling coalition.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP remains an integral part of Maharashtra’s ruling government, making any immediate structural alignment with the MVA or INDIA bloc legally and politically complex without a complete departure from the state cabinet.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, State President of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, Sunil Tatkare, said that any decision regarding a possible merger of the two NCP factions would be taken by National President Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar.
Tatkare said he was not aware of any ongoing discussions regarding a merger and maintained that the matter was not currently before him.
"If there is any issue of merger, our National President Sunetra Pawar will take the decision. The decision will be taken by Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar, who have been working for six decades," Tatkare said.
"I don't know whether or not a merger is being discussed. Since the issue of a merger is not before me, I will not comment on it," he added. (ANI)
"Million-dollar question...will they remain with NDA?": Prithviraj Chavan raises questions over NCP merger speculations
