NCP Merger Buzz Renews As Supriya Sule Meets Praful Patel In Delhi

Speculation over a possible merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has intensified after a series of meetings between senior leaders in Delhi on Friday. NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule met NCP leader Praful Patel at Parliament House, fuelling fresh discussions about a possible reunion of the two factions.

The meeting comes amid growing indications that leaders from both camps may be exploring ways to bridge their differences following the party's 2023 split. However, neither side has publicly confirmed any breakthrough or indicated when a merger could take place.

Following his meeting with Sule, Praful Patel also held discussions with Sunil Tatkare, a senior leader of the Sharad Pawar faction, at his residence in Delhi. The meeting reportedly lasted around 45 minutes, with the possible merger understood to have featured in their discussions.

NCP Merger: What Happened During Leaders' Meetings?

The back-to-back meetings have revived speculation about a possible rapprochement between the two factions. While the exact details of the discussions remain unclear, the meetings suggest that leaders may be exploring the possibility of bringing the party back together.

However, no leader has publicly outlined the proposed structure, timeline or political terms of a possible merger.

The NCP split in 2023, with Ajit Pawar leading one faction into the Maharashtra government, while Sharad Pawar's faction continued in opposition. Since then, the two groups have followed separate political paths.

A potential reunion could have wider implications for Maharashtra politics, particularly over the question of the party's future political alignment. One of the biggest questions is whether Sharad Pawar would be willing to join a government supported by the BJP or continue with the INDIA opposition alliance.

Ajit Pawar Faction Denies Merger Discussions

Amid the renewed speculation, Maharashtra Minister Dattatray Bharne on Friday denied that any political discussions had taken place during a meeting at Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar's residence in Pune.

The meeting at Sunetra Pawar's residence, 'Jijai', was attended by her son Parth Pawar and several NCP MLAs. Bharne said the legislators had gathered to discuss drought-related concerns in their respective constituencies and had not held any discussions about a merger.

"There was no party meeting or any political discussion on the merger. The party has not called any such meeting," Bharne told reporters.

He added that some legislators had happened to be at the residence and met Sunetra Pawar, with the discussion primarily centred on the drought situation and the work required in their constituencies. Bharne also asserted that all NCP MLAs remained firmly behind her leadership.

What Sharad Pawar And Ajit Pawar Factions Have Said

The possibility of a merger has remained a subject of speculation in Maharashtra politics for several months. However, Supriya Sule had previously played down expectations, saying that discussions had been progressing towards an understanding when Ajit Pawar was alive, but that the situation had changed following his death.

Some NCP leaders have also ruled out the possibility of joining hands with the BJP, adding another layer of uncertainty to the merger debate.

For now, the meetings in Delhi have brought the merger question back into focus, but there is no official confirmation of an agreement between the two camps. The coming days could prove significant in determining whether the latest political outreach leads to a reconciliation or remains another round of speculation.