Never imagined NCP would split; future elections will show different picture: Sharad Pawar

Speaking at the party’s 26th foundation day celebrations in Pune, Pawar acknowledged the unexpected rupture in the organisation.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday expressed dismay over the unexpected split of his party nearly two years ago, and said future elections will present a different outcome, as he praised party workers who stood by him in difficult times.

Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar with party MP and daughter Supriya Sule. (ANI Photo)

Speaking at the party’s 26th foundation day celebrations in Pune, Pawar acknowledged the unexpected rupture in the organisation. “We never imagined that the party would split, but it did. Despite that, you stayed the course and continued working without losing spirit,” he told his party workers.

Referring indirectly to his nephew Ajit Pawar’s decision to break away, the former Union minister said, “Some people chose a different path, embracing another ideology, and the divide only deepened. I don’t wish to dwell on that today. Those who stayed back did so because they believed in our core values.”

Pawar said he was optimistic about the political landscape changing in upcoming elections.

The NCP split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government in Maharashtra. After months of legal battles, the party name and its famous clock symbol was allotted to the Ajit Pawar faction, while the one led by the veteran leader was given the name NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).