The Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP – SP) has ended attempts for merger with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), saying it will be focussed on its role as a more effective opposition party.
The NCP split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar. (HT PHOTO/File)
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“The issue of the merger has been closed from our side. There will be no further talks on a merger. We will now focus on strengthening the NCP – SP,” the party’s Maharashtra chief Shashikant Shinde said on Wednesday.
People aware of the matter said the issue was discussed at a party meeting called by NCP founder Sharad Pawar to discuss the party’s plans. They added that the issue of merger talks was raised at the meeting.
NCP – SP working president Supriya Sule and former Maharashtra chief Jayant Patil clarified that the party has moved on, and merger talks are over. The party’s lawmakers, former lawmakers, and candidates, who lost the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, were among those who attended the meeting on Wednesday.
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NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare met Sharad Pawar on May 12, triggering fresh speculation about the merger.
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NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare met Sharad Pawar on May 12, triggering fresh speculation about the merger.
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Many lawmakers who attended the Wednesday meeting said they need to know the merger status to understand what stand they should take.
The merger talks ended after NCP leader Ajit Pawar was killed in an air crash in January. The NCP split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
NCP – SP faction acknowledged merger talks for the first time after Ajit Pawar’s death and said his unfinished work should be completed. NCP denied having such talks, but later admitted that they were underway and that Sunetra Pawar will take a final decision. Top NCP leaders have since opposed the merger.
Faisal Malik is a senior journalist with over two and a half decades of experience covering Maharashtra’s politics, governance and public policy with a deep understanding of the state’s political landscape. He is a Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times and has been associated with its Mumbai edition for more than a decade. Based in Mumbai, Faisal currently covers three major political parties in Maharashtra — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Over the years, he has extensively reported on major political developments, combining investigative insights with in-depth field reporting. His coverage has spanned a wide range of issues, from drought, farmer suicides, major development projects and grassroots challenges to major electoral battles, including three Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections — 2014, 2019 and 2024. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with ‘The Asian Age’ and ‘Dainik Bhaskar’. An avid tea enthusiast, he enjoys reading history, Urdu literature and classical poetry. When away from the newsroom, he writes Urdu poetry inspired by human emotions, life's experiences, meaningful reflections and relationships. An amateur photographer, Faisal is passionate about capturing moments that often go unnoticed by the naked eye.
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Home/India News/Sharad Pawar’s NCP ends merger talks with Sunetra Pawar-led party faction
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