Just as suspense over Maharashtra's political future after deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's death seemed to subside on Thursday, his uncle and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Sharad Pawar on Saturday said he was not aware that Ajit's wife Sunetra Pawar was set to succeed him.
Sharad Pawar, who was left with a faction of the NCP after Ajit took away most of the MLAs along with the name and symbol in 2023, also spoke again of a possible merger between the two factions, and said that his nephew Ajit had proposed February 12 as a tentative date for the family's political reunion.
Shortly after his claim, a video of Ajit and Sharad Pawar surfaced on social media, in which the two can be seen engaged in talks along with other leaders. According to news agency ANI, the video is from January 17. NCP(SP) leaders claim this was “final” meeting on the merger of the two factions.
On Saturday, Sharad Pawar said talks were underway between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil, a key leader of the NCP(SP).
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday, Sharad Pawar said talks were underway between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil, a key leader of the NCP(SP).
{{/usCountry}}He said the merger talks had been underway for four months, HT reported.
He added that the talks were now on hold due to Ajit Pawar's death in the crash.
Failed Pune, PCMC reunion
The “final” meeting reportedly took place just a day after results of elections to the 27 municipal corporations of Maharashtra were announced.
The NCP was split in July 2023 as Ajit Pawar walked away with more than 40 of the NCP’s 54 MLAs to join the BJP-led Mahayuti government. It was after this split that Sharad Pawar named his faction Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) or NCP(SP).
A rare coming together of the rival factions was recently seen in elections to two municipal corporations — Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad — on their home turf. However, the reunion did not win much as the BJP registered a decisive victory in both the civic bodies.
Sunetra Pawar's oath-taking after husband's death
Days after Ajit Pawar's death in a tragic plane crash in Maharashtra's Baramati, his wife Sunetra is expected to take oath as the first woman deputy chief minister of Maharashtra at 5 pm today in Mumbai.
Calls to have her lead the NCP and take over Ajit Pawar's key role grew within the party after the deadly plane crash. There is a clear demand from the people that Sunetra Pawar, also called “vahini”, meaning “sister-in-law”, should be given responsibility in the ministry, Maharashtra minister Narhari Zirwal had told news agency PTI.
However, when asked about the political development scheduled this evening, Sharad Pawar said he was not aware.
On the other hand, CM Devendra Fadnavis has backed the NCP's decision on filling the vacant deputy CM post in the state.
“The decision will be taken by the NCP. We will stand by whatever decision the NCP takes...We are standing by the family of Ajit Pawar and NCP,” Fadnavis said on Friday while talking to reporters.
Apart from Ajit Pawar, four people died in the Learjet 45 plane crash in Baramati on January 28. The civil aviation ministry has assured that an investigation into the incident is underway, and that the black box has been recovered.